Sex and age differences in lifestyle risk: implications for health promotion programming

We analyzed data from the 1982 Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Survey by sex and age to suggest strategies for the design and implementation of risk reduction programs. Men were more likely than women to report heavy drinking (76 percent versus 62 percent), drinking and driving (11 percent versus 3 percent), smoking (34 percent versus 27 percent), being overweight (42 percent versus 32 percent), and not using seat belts (63 percent versus 58 percent). Women were slightly more likely to report insufficient physical activity (64 percent versus 60 percent). A larger percentage of women than men reported using eating to cope with stress (31 percent versus 15 percent), while smoking (26 percent versus 22 percent), alcohol use (8 percent versus 3 percent), and exercise (21 percent versus 14 percent) were coping mechanisms reported by a greater proportion of men than women. These differences in risk behaviors by sex and age suggested that worksite programs addressing weight control and smoking for men and women and alcohol use and driving for men, along with community-based programs emphasizing fitness and hypertension control for older adults, would be most effective.