TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study population (N = 269,229)
| Baseline characteristics | Ntotal (%)1 unless otherwise specified |
|---|---|
| 25(OH)D levels (nmol/L), mean (SD) | 50.1 (20.8) |
| Vitamin D status | |
| Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <30 nmol/L) | 49,210 (18.3) |
| Vitamin D insufficiency (25(OH)D 30–<50 nmol/L) | 91,463 (34.0) |
| Vitamin D sufficiency (25(OH)D ≥50 nmol/L) | 128,556 (47.8) |
| Vitamin D / multivitamin supplements use | |
| No | 202,532 (75.2) |
| Yes, vitamin D preparations regularly | 13,372 (5.0) |
| Yes, multivitamin (± minerals) preparations regularly | 53,325 (19.8) |
| Sex | |
| Female | 140,857 (52.3) |
| Male | 128,372 (47.7) |
| Age (y), mean (SD) | 62.1 (4.1) |
| Skin color | |
| Very fair | 19,492 (7.4) |
| Fair | 187,908 (70.8) |
| Light olive | 46,621 (17.6) |
| Dark olive | 4633 (1.8) |
| Brown | 5446 (2.0) |
| Black | 1236 (0.5) |
| Y of education | |
| ≤9 | 78,795 (29.7) |
| 10–11 | 69,570 (26.2) |
| ≥12 | 117,037 (44.1) |
| Indices of multiple deprivation, mean (SD) | −0.06 (0.96) |
| Average household income (£) | |
| <18,000 | 64,525 (28.8) |
| 18,000–30,999 | 66,834 (29.9) |
| 31,000–51,999 | 52,203 (23.3) |
| 52,000–100,000 | 32,243 (14.4) |
| >100,000 | 7934 (3.6) |
| Disability2 | 18,885 (7.1) |
| BMI (kg/m2) | |
| <18.5 | 1233 (0.5) |
| 18.5–<25 | 81,210 (30.3) |
| 25–<30 | 118,276 (44.1) |
| 30–<35 | 49,168 (18.3) |
| 35–<40 | 13,551 (5.1) |
| ≥40 | 4751 (1.8) |
| Waist circumference (cm), mean (SD) | 91.4 (13.3) |
| Smoking status | |
| Never smoker | 138,192 (51.3) |
| Former smoker, occasionally | 32,823 (12.2) |
| Former smoker, regularly | 74,514 (27.7) |
| Current smoker, occasionally | 5926 (2.2) |
| Current smoker, regularly | 17,698 (6.6) |
| Alcohol consumption3 | |
| Abstainer | 82,012 (30.5) |
| Low | 109,576 (40.7) |
| Moderate | 45,334 (16.8) |
| High | 32,307 (12.0) |
| Physical activity4 | |
| Low | 36,420 (17.9) |
| Moderate | 84,558 (41.5) |
| High | 83,038 (40.7) |
| Visiting friends/family | |
| Almost daily | 35,931 (13.4) |
| 2–4 times/wk | 89,563 (33.5) |
| Once/wk | 89,846 (33.6) |
| Once every few months/rare | 52,333 (19.6) |
| Oily fish consumption | |
| Never/less than once a week | 104,915 (39.2) |
| At least once a week | 162,962 (60.8) |
| Cereal consumption (bowls/wk) | |
| Never | 42,428 (15.8) |
| <7 | 109,613 (40.8) |
| ≥7 | 116,485 (43.4) |
| Processed meat intake | |
| Never/less than once a week | 108,204 (40.3) |
| At least once a week | 160,538 (59.7) |
| Milk consumption | |
| Never/rarely | 8536 (3.17) |
| Occasionally/regularly | 260,530 (96.8) |
| Spread consumption | |
| Never/rarely | 28,264 (10.5) |
| Butter | 93,719 (34.9) |
| Margarine/others | 146,900 (54.6) |
| Preferred bread type | |
| White | 64,733 (24.9) |
| Wholemeal/wholegrain/brown | 184,663 (70.9) |
| Other | 11,040 (4.2) |
| eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | |
| ≥90 | 131,857 (49.0) |
| <90 | 137,040 (51.0) |
| HbA1c (%) | |
| <6 | 228,987 (89.7) |
| 6–<6.5 | 13,957 (5.5) |
| 6.5–<7 | 4879 (1.9) |
| 7–<8 | 4613 (1.8) |
| ≥8 | 2957 (1.2) |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) | |
| <40 | 30,538 (12.4) |
| ≥40 | 215,789 (87.6) |
| SBP (mmHg) | |
| <140 | 116,744 (43.4) |
| 140–<160 | 97,036 (36.1) |
| 160–<180 | 43,122 (16.0) |
| ≥180 | 12,049 (4.5) |
| DBP (mmHg) | |
| <60 | 2792 (1.0) |
| 60–<100 | 250,602 (93.2) |
| ≥100 | 15,564 (5.8) |
| C-reactive protein (mg/L) | |
| <3 | 203,202 (75.7) |
| 3–<10 | 53,217 (19.8) |
| ≥10 | 12,052 (4.5) |
| FEV1 (L), mean (SD) | 2.65 (0.75) |
| Hand grip strength (kg), mean (SD) | 31.5 (11.0) |
| APOE e4 status | - |
| ε2/ε2, ε2/ε3, ε3/ε3 | 161,912 (72.1) |
| ε2/ε4 | 5745 (2.6) |
| ε3/ε4 | 51,681 (23.0) |
| ε4/ε4 | 5142 (2.3) |
| No. of comorbidities, median (IQR) | 2 (1–3) |
| History of any cancer excl. nonmelanoma skin cancer | 35,965 (13.4) |
| Hypertension | 95,642 (35.5) |
| Type 2 diabetes mellitus | 16,952 (6.3) |
| History of stroke | 9720 (3.6) |
| Coronary artery disease | 22,435 (8.3) |
| COPD | 14,115 (5.2) |
| Asthma | 29,240 (10.9) |
| Osteoporosis | 8500 (3.2) |
| Fracture in last 5 years | 25,843 (9.6) |
| Arthritis | 54,587 (20.3) |
| Gout | 5614 (2.1) |
| Parkinson | 819 (0.3) |
| Depressed mood in last 2 wks | 10,038 (3.9) |
| Tiredness/lethargy in last 2 wks | 27,789 (10.7) |
| Chronic fatigue syndrome | 1036 (0.4) |
| Hypothyroidism | 17,179 (6.4) |
| No. of drugs, median (IQR) | 2 (1–4) |
Abbreviations: 25(OH)D: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; APOE, Apolipoprotein E; BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; FEV1, Forced expiratory volume in 1-second; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; IPAQ, International Physical Activity Questionnaire; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SD, standard deviation.
Data are based on unimputed data set.
Disability is defined as having attendance allowance, disability living allowance, or blue badge.
Alcohol consumption levels: low (females: 0–19.99 g/d, males: 0–39.99 g/d); medium (females: 20–39.99 g/d, males: 40–59.99 g/d); high (females: ≥40 g/d, males: ≥60 g/d).
IPAQ activity levels: low (not meeting the criteria for medium and high levels of IPAQ activity); medium (≥0.5 h/d of moderate-intensity activity on most days); high (≥1 h/d of moderate-intensity activity).