Table 1.
General characteristics of participants from the first follow-up examination (2010–2012) in the popgen cohort from Northern Germany according to sex-specific tertiles of circulating plasma zinc concentrations (n = 841).
| Total | T1 | T2 | T3 | p Values d | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 434.9–958.7 µg/L | 434.9–658.2 µg/L | 658.3–724.9 µg/L | 725.0–958.7 µg/L | ||
| n (% female) a | 841 (42) | 280 (41) | 281 (44) | 280 (40) | 0.501 |
| Age (years) b | 61 ± 12 | 60 ± 13 | 62 ± 12 | 61 ± 12 | 0.103 |
| Plasma zinc (µg/L) b | 695.0 ± 83.1 | 607.7 ± 40.7 | 690.9 ± 18.9 | 786.3 ± 52.4 | <0.001 |
| Plasma copper (µg/L) b | 1037.9 ± 192.5 | 1035.9 ± 197.1 | 1043.9 ± 183.5 | 1034.0 ± 197.2 | 0.813 |
| Zinc intake (mg/day) c | 11.1 (9.4; 13.2) | 11.2 (9.3; 13.4) | 11.1 (9.7; 13.0) | 11.0 (9.3; 13.2) | 0.865 |
| Intake of zinc supplements (yes, (%)) a | 57 (7) | 15 (5) | 20 (7) | 22 (8) | 0.481 |
| Copper intake (mg/day) c | 2.5 (2.1; 2.9) | 2.5 (2.1; 3.0) | 2.4 (2.1; 2.9) | 2.4 (2.1; 2.8) | 0.370 |
| Intake of total fat (g/day) c | 94.1 (78.5; 115.9) | 95.6 (77.7; 119.7) | 94.1 (78.2; 112.8) | 93.2 (79.1; 112.5) | 0.783 |
| Intake of saturated fatty acids (g/day) c | 38.0 (30.8; 46.9) | 38.4 (29.8; 48.7) | 38.1 (31.6; 45.5) | 37.6 (30.6; 46.4) | 0.838 |
| Subcutaneous adipose tissue (dm3) (n = 534) c | 6.0 (4.7; 8.2) | 5.9 (4.8; 8.1) | 6.1 (4.5; 8.3) | 6.1 (4.8; 8.2) | 0.732 |
| Visceral adipose tissue (dm3) (n = 538) c | 3.8 (2.4; 5.2) | 3.5 (2.2; 5.1) | 3.8 (2.5; 5.0) | 4.1 (2.7; 5.2) | 0.179 |
| Liver signal intensity c | 18.5 (14.9; 23.5) | 17.5 (14.5; 22.1) | 19.0 (14.9; 23.8) | 18.8 (15.3; 24.4) | 0.067 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) b | 27.2 ± 4.2 | 27.0 ± 4.3 | 27.3 ± 4.2 | 27.4 ± 4.2 | 0.484 |
| Waist circumference (cm) b | |||||
| Females | 90.3 ± 12.8 | 88.5 ± 12.4 | 91.5 ± 12.8 | 90.8 ± 13.2 | 0.172 |
| Males | 100.4 ± 10.8 | 100.6 ± 11.0 | 100.3 ± 10.9 | 100.4 ± 10.7 | 0.998 |
| Waist-to-hip ratio b | |||||
| Females | 0.87 ± 0.07 | 0.86 ± 0.07 | 0.88 ± 0.06 | 0.88 ± 0.07 | 0.151 |
| Males | 0.98 ± 0.06 | 0.98 ± 0.06 | 0.99 ± 0.06 | 0.98 ± 0.07 | 0.661 |
| Plasma triglyceride concentration (mg/dL) c | 105.0 (76.0; 138.0) | 101.5 (77.5; 134.5) | 103.0 (76.0; 131.0) | 110.0 (73.0; 149.5) | 0.301 |
| Plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dL) b | 65.1 ± 17.2 | 66.2 ± 17.7 | 64.2 ± 17.2 | 64.8 ± 16.8 | 0.397 |
| Plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dL) b | 131.6 ± 33.0 | 125.6 ± 34.2 | 133.8 ± 30.7 | 135.6 ± 33.4 | <0.001 |
| Lipid-lowering medication (yes, (%)) a | 114 (14) | 30 (11) | 36 (13) | 48 (17) | 0.077 |
| C-reactive protein (mg/L) c | 1.2 (0.5; 2.4) | 1.3 (0.5; 2.8) | 1.2 (0.5; 2.4) | 1.1 (0.5; 2.1) | 0.203 |
| Current smokers (yes, (%)) a | 108 (13) | 44 (16) | 32 (11) | 32 (11) | 0.263 |
| Alcohol intake (g/day) c | 9.0 (3.2; 18.5) | 10.7 (3.9; 21.9) | 8.5 (3.0; 17.6) | 8.4 (2.8; 16.4) | 0.022 |
| Physical activity (MET-hours/week) c | 90.5 (59.0; 131.5) | 90.5 (59.7; 132.3) | 88.3 (56.9; 126.3) | 93.8 (59.1; 135.6) | 0.694 |
| Education level (low [<10 years], medium [10 years], high [≥11 years]) a |
292 (35); 271 (32); 278 (33) | 87 (31); 93 (33); 100 (36) | 106 (38); 90 (32); 85 (30) | 99 (35); 88 (31); 93 (33) | 0.517 |
Values are as follows: a n (%) (categorical variables), b mean ± SD (continuous normally distributed variables), c median (IQR) (continuous skewed variables), d p values based on chi-square test (categorical variables), Kruskal–Wallis test (continuous skewed variables) or general linear models (continuous normally distributed variables). Abbreviations: IQR, interquartile range; MET, metabolic equivalent of task; SD, standard deviation; T, tertile.