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. 2025 Aug 22;44:305. doi: 10.1186/s41043-025-01050-7

Table 1.

Characteristics of participants by tertiles of the WWI in the NHANES 2005–2010 cycles

Variables Total (n = 12,992) T1 (n = 4327) (8.11–10.64) T2(n = 4137) (10.65–11.37) T3 (n = 4458) (11.37–15.7) P value
Age(years), Mean(SE) 46.39 (0.35) 38.84 (0.29) 47.86 (0.34) 55.59 (0.44)  < 0.001
Sex, n (%)  < 0.001
Male 6,342 (48.66%) 2,447 (54.00%) 2,127 (50.93%) 1,768 (38.26%)
Female 6,580 (51.34%) 1,880 (46.00%) 2,010 (49.07%) 2,690 (61.74%)
Race/ethnicity,n(%)  < 0.001
Non-Hispanic white 6,543 (72.17%) 2,213 (72.49%) 2,053 (71.42%) 2,277 (72.60%)
Non-Hispanic black 3,067 (15.85%) 1,330 (18.56%) 926 (14.83%) 811 (13.13%)
Mexican American 2,311 (7.90%) 489 (5.27%) 835 (9.51%) 987 (9.83%)
Others 1,001 (4.08%) 295 (3.68%) 323 (4.24%) 383 (4.45%)
Marital status,n(%)  < 0.001
Married or living with partners 8,013 (65.51%) 2,511 (61.59%) 2,751 (70.62%) 2,751 (65.19%)
Living alone 4,909 (34.49%) 1,816 (38.41%) 1,386 (29.38%) 1,707 (34.81%)
Education level(year), n(%)  < 0.001
 < 9 1,405 (5.51%) 214 (2.89%) 421 (5.42%) 770 (9.41%)
9–12 5,164 (36.27%) 1,553 (29.90%) 1,664 (38.06%) 1,947 (43.39%)
 > 12 6,353 (58.22%) 2,560 (67.21%) 2,052 (56.51%) 1,741 (47.20%)
Family income, n(%)  < 0.001
Low 3,770 (18.91%) 1,083 (16.13%) 1,158 (18.07%) 1,529 (23.92%)
Medium 4,978 (36.03%) 1,550 (33.03%) 1,610 (36.54%) 1,818 (39.78%)
High 4,174 (45.06%) 1,694 (50.83%) 1,369 (45.40%) 1,111 (36.30%)
Physical activity, n(%)  < 0.001
Inactive 6,316 (45.68%) 1,706 (37.71%) 1,991 (46.48%) 2,619 (56.27%)
Active 6,606 (54.32%) 2,621 (62.29%) 2,146 (53.52%) 1,839 (43.73%)
Alcohol intake, n(%)  < 0.001
No 3,623 (23.64%) 938 (18.02%) 1,129 (23.94%) 1,556 (31.43%)
Yes 9,299 (76.36%) 3,389 (81.98%) 3,008 (76.06%) 2,902 (68.57%)
Smoking status, n(%)  < 0.001
Never 6,772 (52.77%) 2,375 (56.23%) 2,138 (51.15%) 2,259 (49.66%)
Current 3,292 (24.94%) 791 (19.36%) 1,101 (27.16%) 1,400 (30.39%)
Former 2,858 (22.29%) 1,161 (24.41%) 898 (21.68%) 799 (19.95%)
Coronary heart disease, n(%)  < 0.001
No 12,418 (96.88%) 4,279 (99.19%) 3,984 (96.76%) 4,155 (93.68%)
Yes 504 (3.12%) 48 (0.81%) 153 (3.24%) 303 (6.32%)
Diabetes,n(%)  < 0.001
No 11,519 (92.26%) 4,198 (97.97%) 3,769 (93.51%) 3,552 (82.54%)
Yes 1,403 (7.74%) 129 (2.03%) 368 (6.49%) 906 (17.46%)
Hypertension, n(%)  < 0.001
No 9,286 (75.15%) 3,737 (88.10%) 3,025 (74.62%) 2,524 (57.02%)
Yes 3,636 (24.85%) 590 (11.90%) 1,112 (25.38%) 1,934 (42.98%)
Stroke, n(%)  < 0.001
No 12,661 (97.19%) 4,339 (99.02%) 4,070 (97.68%) 4,252 (93.97%)
Yes 487 (2.81%) 59 (0.98%) 134 (2.32%) 294(6.03%)
Congestive heart failure, n(%)  < 0.001
No 12,557 (98.02%) 4,287 (99.48%) 4,027 (98.12%) 4,243 (95.80%)
Yes 365 (1.98%) 40 (0.52%) 110 (1.88%) 215 (4.20%)
Cancer, n(%)  < 0.001
No 11,693 (90.91%) 4,100 (94.71%) 3,765 (90.57%) 3,828 (85.80%)
Yes 1,229 (9.09%) 227 (5.29%) 372 (9.43%) 630 (14.20%)
Calorie consumption (kcal/d),
Mean (SE) 2,207.99 (15.42) 2,389.65 (22.89) 2,205.92 (24.89) 1,947.46 (21.72)  < 0.001
Protein consumption(g/d),
Mean(SE) 84.67 (0.64) 91.14 (0.83) 84.30 (1.02) 75.73 (0.92)  < 0.001
Carbohydrate consumption(g/d),
Mean(SE) 263.72 (1.89) 286.31 (2.83) 261.34 (3.16) 233.82 (2.38)  < 0.001
Fat consumption(g/d), Mean(SE) 83.97 (0.77) 88.87 (1.13) 84.77 (1.09) 75.94 (1.25)  < 0.001
FI, n (%)  < 0.001
No 11,770 (91.82%) 4,095 (95.18%) 3,808 (92.10%) 3,867 (86.61%)
Yes 1,152 (8.18%) 232 (4.82%) 329 (7.90%) 591 (13.39%)
Body mass index(kg/m2), n(%)  < 0.001
normal weight 3,718 (31.43%) 2,262 (53.81%) 953 (21.37%) 503 (10.85%)
over weight 4,448 (33.77%) 1,426 (32.68%) 1,662 (40.10%) 1,360 (27.94%)
obese 4,756 (34.79%) 639 (13.51%) 1,522 (38.53%) 2,595 (61.21%)
Waist circumference(cm),Mean(SE) 98.13 (0.31) 87.02 (0.26) 100.25 (0.21) 111.74 (0.34)  < 0.001

WWI, weight-adjusted-waist index; FI, fecal incontinence; SE, standard error. data presented as unweighted numbers (weighted percentage) for categorical variables and mean (standard error) for continuous variables