Chapter 3: Health-Risk Behaviour

Question 1

What did the Alameda County study conducted by Belloc and Breslow (1972) find?

Answer 1

Epidemiological study
Examined the association between behaviour and health.
6,928 healthy adults (aged over 20)
Spanning over 30 years
Baseline behaviours (dev and not dev disease)
Key behavioural factors associated with health and longevity were identified named the ‘Alameda seven’
Found to reduce subsequent development of disease and mortality.

Question 2

What are the Alameda Seven?

Answer 2

Sleeping 7-8 hours a night
Not smoking
Consuming no more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks per day
Getting regular exercise
Not eating between meals
Eating breakfast
Being no more than 10 per cent overweight

Question 3

What benefits did the Alameda Seven bring?

Answer 3

Men/women who performed 6 out of 7 lived 7 and 11 years longer respectively than those <6.
Findings contributed sig to growing awareness / personal lifestyle behaviour + disease.