High work demands increase heart disease in young men

According to a study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, Finnish researchers measured thickness of the carotid artery in 478 men and 542 women ages 24 to 39 years. They also assessed job strain by asking participants about the pace and mental demands of their work.

Results showed that men who reported high job strain were 29% more likely to have increased thickness of the artery, similar to that of a smoker or poor eater. Women did not show the same effect, possibly because their job stress peaks later in life.

Courtesy of LA Times