Using a population approach, we investigated whether a group health education program exerted a preventive efTbct on checkup items at five years later. Wotkers tuming 35 years old before the initiaa implementation ofthe program were entered in the control greup (n = 422) and those turning 35 years on this date or after were entered in the intervention group (n = 206). These groups were compared using data obtained from routine health checkups at 35 and 40 years of age. In the intervention

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... se]gmanagernent Etbility prior to and after completion of the program was compared using a 2 i'tem questionnaire based on the General SelfErucacy Scale (GSES) and the Health Locus ofControl (HLC), In males, the intervention group showed significant jnhibitien ofincreases in body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (v-GTP) compared to the control group. In females, however, a similar outcome was seen for y-GTP only. The evaluation index of seJflmanagement ability fbr both GSES and HLC significantly improved among males but did not significantly change arnong females at fivc years post-completion of the program. In panicular, the group with a high GSES evaluation index experienced significant inhibition of weight gain, As a population approach, adoption of this program in the workplace for males aged 35 years may have an inhibitory eflbct on five-year weight gain. Further, programs which improve GSES appcar effective in inhibiting weight gain.