A study of more than 10,000 Westminster civil servants has uncovered the strongest evidence yet of the way stress can cause coronary heart disease (CHD).

Workers under 50 who suffer chronic stress have a 68% higher risk of heart disease than those with easy jobs, experts say.

It found that 32% of the effect of stress on CHD was down to eating badly and a lack of exercise.

Published in the European Heart Journal, the research sought to look at the mechanisms of how stress affects the body.

This includes activating stress pathways controlled by the interaction between the nervous system, the endocrine glands and their hormones (neuroendocrine mechanisms). Stress also causes heart disease by affecting how people lead their lives, what they eat and if they exercise.

Researchers collected evidence on the incidence of CHD, deaths from CHD, non-fatal heart attacks, angina and heart rate variability. They also looked at increases in the levels of the "stress" hormone cortisol in the morning, metabolic syndrome and factors such as diet, exercise, smoking and drinking.

The overall study, which has been running since 1985, is led by Sir Michael Marmot, professor of epidemiology and public health at University College London (UCL). His team found that young people seemed to be particularly affected by chronic work stress.

Dr Tarani Chandola, a senior lecturer in UCL's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and first author on the paper, said: "Stress at work is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease but the mechanisms underlying this association have remained unclear until now.

"During 12 years of follow-up, we found that chronic work stress was associated with CHD and this association was stronger among both men and women aged under 50 - their risk of CHD was an average of 68% more than for people who reported no stress at work.

"Among people of retirement age (and therefore less likely to be exposed to work stress), the effect on CHD was less strong."

source: Channel 4 news