Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38110727›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of public health2024

Metabolic syndrome and poor self-rated health as risk factors for premature employment exit: a longitudinal study among 55 016 middle-aged and older workers from the Lifelines Cohort Study and Biobank.

Katharina Runge, Sander K R van Zon, Kène Henkens, Ute Bültmann

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. A meta-analysis of unemployment risk factors for middle-aged workers.Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health · 2025
    Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Katharina RungeWork and retirement theme group, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-2037-5972
Sander K R van ZonDepartment of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Kène HenkensWork and retirement theme group, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Ute BültmannDepartment of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
University Medical Center Groningen · NL

Funding

Dutch Ministry of Economic AffairsDutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and SportGroningen UniversityNetherlands Organisation for Scientific Research 453-14-001Provinces in the North of the NetherlandsRoyal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesUniversity Medical Centre Groningen
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPoor self-rated health (SRH) is a well-established risk factor for premature employment exit through unemployment, work disability, and early retirement. However, it is unclear whether the premature employment exit risk associated with underlying cardio-metabolic health conditions is fully captured by poor SRH. This study examines the metabolic syndrome (MetS), an early-stage risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes mellitus, as a risk factor for premature employment exit while controlling for poor SRH.

methodsWe analyzed data from N = 55 016 Dutch workers (40-64 years) from five waves of the Lifelines Cohort Study and Biobank. MetS components were based on physical measures, blood markers, and medication use. SRH and employment states were self-reported. The associations between MetS, SRH, and premature employment exit types were analyzed using competing risk regression analysis.

resultsDuring 4.3 years of follow-up, MetS remained an independent risk factor for unemployment [adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR): 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.25] and work disability (adjusted SHR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.58) when adjusted for poor SRH, common chronic diseases related to labor market participation (i.e., cancer, musculoskeletal-, pulmonary-, and psychiatric diseases), and sociodemographic factors. MetS was not associated with early retirement.

conclusionsPoor SRH did not fully capture the risk for unemployment and work disability associated with MetS. More awareness about MetS as a 'hidden' cardio-metabolic risk factor for premature employment exit is needed among workers, employers, and occupational health professionals. Regular health check-ups including MetS assessment and MetS prevention might help to prolong healthy working lives.

Indexed as

Metabolic SyndromeAgedBiological Specimen BanksCohort StudiesEmploymentHealth StatusHumansLongitudinal StudiesMiddle AgedRetirementRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID38110727
PMCPMC10990532
OpenAlexW4389958630

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.