Table 1.

Baseline characteristics by allostatic load (AL) status of middle-aged (45–64 years) participants, Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES III (1988–1994)

	Females					Males
	Low AL		High AL			Low AL		High AL
	%*	se	%*	se	P†	%*	se	%*	se	P†
Prevalence (%)	61·9	1·9	38·1	1·9	<0·001	53·2	2·1	46·8	2·1	<0·001
Age (years), mean	53·1	0·3	55·0	0·3	<0·001	52·5	0·3	54·4	0·3	<0·001
Education (%)
Less than high school	19·1	0·3	31·0	2·4	<0·001	23·3	2·1	32·9	2·5	<0·001
High-school graduate	62·4	1·9	56·8	2·4		44·1	2·8	47·8	2·9
College graduate	18·5	1·8	12·2	1·4		32·6	3·0	19·3	2·3
Race/ethnicity (%)
Non-Hispanic White	84·6	1·7	70·8	2·3	<0·001	82·4	1·9	79·6	2·3	0·351
Non-Hispanic Black	7·4	0·7	14·4	1·4		6·3	0·7	9·1	0·9
Mexican-American	2·8	0·4	5·4	0·5		3·9	0·5	3·9	0·5
Other	5·3	1·3	9·3	2·0		7·4	1·6	7·4	2·2
Smoking status (%)
Non-smoker	77·0	1·9	72·6	1·8	0·071	67·1	2·6	58·0	2·9	0·011
Smoker	23·0	1·9	27·4	1·8		32·9	2·6	42·0	2·9
Alcohol consumption (%)
None	52·9	2·8	61·9	3·2	0·032	36·7	2·6	42·7	2·4	0·059
Moderate	42·7	2·8	35·9	3·2		59·8	2·6	51·9	2·5
Excessive	4·5	1·2	2·2	0·8		3·5	0·8	5·4	1·4
Physical activity (%)
Inactive	17·0	1·7	27·9	2·0	<0·001	11·1	1·7	17·9	2·0	0·015
Active	83·0	1·7	72·1	2·0		88·9	1·7	82·1	2·0

*Data are weighted percentages, except for Age expressed as mean (in years).

†P values computed using complex-samples general linear model for continuous variables and χ ² test of independence for categorical variables.