AIM: To investigate the development of blood pressure (BP) determinants over a period of 6 years in a birth cohort of middle-aged Swedish men. METHODS: Men born 1953 and 1954 living in Helsingborg, Southern Sweden, were surveyed at 37, 40 and 43 years of age. Baseline participation rate was 68% (n = 991). S-Cholesterol, HDL-Cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) and anthropomorphic measurements were collected and a questionnaire covering ethnicity, smoking, leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and alcohol consumption was completed. RESULTS: At these surveys, SBP means were: 131, 132, 135 mm Hg and DBP were 83, 83 and 85 mm Hg respectively. Body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), S-Cholesterol and alcohol consumption consistently showed cross-sectional positive associations with SBP and DBP. One mmol/L higher S-Cholesterol at baseline predicted an increase in SBP by 1.16 mm Hg (confidence interval, CI: 0.25; 2.07) over 6 years. At age 40, there was a 4.4 mm Hg (p