Table 1

 Exposure to occupational and behavioural risk factors among employed Danish men and women in 1990 and relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for hospital treatment due to varicose veins* during 12 year follow up (1991–2002); results from Poisson regression

Variable and leveln (%)CasesRR95% CI
Data regarding outpatients were included from 1995.
*ICD-8 = 454 or ICD-10 = I83.
Men2939 (100)
Prolonged standing or walking
    No1797 (61)211.00
    Yes1126 (38)191.750.92 to 3.34
Heavy lifting (⩾¼ of working hours)
    No2349 (80)331.00
    Yes574 (20)70.810.35 to 1.90
Baseline BMI
    <20 kg/m297 (3)10.960.13 to 7.15
    20–24 kg/m21707 (58)241.00
    25–29 kg/m2953 (32)130.820.41 to 1.61
    ⩾30 kg/m2166 (6)20.680.16 to 2.90
Smoking status
    Never smoker944 (32)131.00
    Ex-smoker557 (19)90.890.38 to 2.09
    Smoker (<15 g/day)500 (17)70.850.34 to 2.13
    Smoker (⩾15 g/day)922 (31)110.690.31 to 1.55
Women2708 (100)
Prolonged standing or walking
    No1729 (64)351.00
    Yes956 (35)361.821.12 to 2.95
Heavy lifting (⩾¼ of working hours)
    No2384 (88)611.00
    Yes301 (11)101.160.59 to 2.31
Baseline BMI
    <20 kg/m2607 (22)120.820.43 to 1.56
    20–24 kg/m21630 (6)441.00
    25–29 kg/m2361 (13)110.980.51 to 1.91
    ⩾30 kg/m287 (3)41.320.47 to 3.71
Smoking status
    Never smoker1042 (38)291.00
    Ex-smoker438 (16)171.410.77 to 2.58
    Smoker (<15 g/day)652 (24)160.910.49 to 1.70
    Smoker (⩾15 g/day)553 (20)90.570.27 to 1.20
No. of children
    0721 (27)121.00
    1497 (18)100.900.39 to 2.10
    ⩾21467 (54)491.210.64 to 2.30