DISCUSSION
In the present study we investigated clustering of
lifestyle factors in a general Dutch population aged
20–59 years. Approximately 20% of this study population had three or more unfavorable lifestyle factors.
The number of unfavorable lifestyle factors was higher
among subjects with a low education, those who were
unemployed, and those who had a deterioration in
health in the past year and was lower among subjects
who rated their present health as very good. The relationship between the lifestyle factors was in general
not different in groups of education or age, except for
the relationship between smoking and alcohol consumption, which was strongest among the young subjects, and the relation between smoking and low fruit/
vegetable consumption, which was highest in the
oldest group. Although moderate, there seemed to be a
stronger relation between risk habits in subjects who
had experienced a deterioration in health in the past
year. The relation between the consumption of excessive alcohol and consumption of fruits and vegetables
seemed more pronounced in subjects with low selfrated health.