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. 2003 Apr 12;326(7393):793. doi: 10.1136/bmj.326.7393.793

Table 1.

 Baseline characteristics of sedentary 40-79 year old patients in general practice, by intervention (n=451) and control group (n=427). Values are means (SD) unless otherwise indicated

Variable
Intervention group
Control group
Age (years) 57.2 (10.8) 58.6 (11.5)
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) 135.1 (19.6) 135.4 (17.9)
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) 82.4 (12.2) 81.8 (12.1)
Body mass index (kg/m2) 30.0 (6.7) 29.9 (6.4)
Cholesterol concentration* (mmol/l) 5.78 (1.0) 5.64 (1.0)
High density lipoprotein concentration* (mmol/l) 1.33 (0.4) 1.34 (0.4)
Four year risk of coronary heart disease* (%) 5.7 (6.2) 5.5 (5.8)
Total energy expenditure (kcal/kg/week) 237.5 (42.2) 235.7 (45.3)
Leisure physical activity (kcal/kg1/week) 6.0 (12.2) 6.5 (11.1)
Leisure exercise (minutes/day) 11.3 (21.7) 12.0 (20.5)
No of medical drugs taken 2.6 (2.5) 2.4 (2.4)
No (%) of participants:
 Female 301 (67) 281 (66)
 Lower economic status§ 205 (45) 211 (49)
 With post-high school qualification 106 (24) 121 (28)
 European origin 354 (78) 324 (76)
 Smokers 78 (17) 76 (18)
 Diabetic 46 (10) 46 (11)
 Hypertensive 240 (53) 220 (52)
 Previous cardiovascular disease 93 (21) 74 (17)
 Obese (BMI>30) 198 (44) 176 (41)
 Taking leisure exercise ⩾2.5 hours/week 80 (18) 91 (21)
SF-36 quality of life scores (out of 100):
 Physical functioning 71.3 (23.9) 70.9 (24.6)
 Role physical 57.9 (41.7) 60.4 (41.4)
 Bodily pain 61.1 (25.7) 63.9 (26.9)
 General health 62.7 (20.7) 66.1 (20.6)
 Vitality 53.8 (20.6) 56.0 (21.2)
 Social functioning 77.9 (24.6) 77.6 (25.2)
 Role emotional 69.6 (41.3) 68.7 (40.6)
 Mental health 74.5 (17.3) 74.0 (18.2)
No (%) of general practices and doctors:
 Rural or semirural practices 12 (52) 9 (47)
 Female general practitioners 17 (28) 18 (31)
*

Cholesterol testing and 4 year risk assessment of coronary heart disease13 14 were carried out on a randomly selected subsample to contain costs (n=787). A further 51 participants declined to have cholesterol testing done. 

Leisure physical activity refers to the energy expenditure of all leisure time physical activity considered moderate or vigorous by the respondent. 

Leisure exercise refers to minutes spent per week in leisure time activities of moderate or vigorous intensity that required at least three times the metabolic energy expenditure of sitting quietly (3 METs) when classified according to a standard physical activity compendium.12 15 

§

Economic status was measured at baseline by qualification for a low income health subsidy card. 43% of adults over 45 years of age in New Zealand qualify for this card. 

Hypertensive refers to a previous diagnosis of hypertension and taking antihypertensive medication or a mean blood pressure of greater than 150 mm Hg systolic or 90 mm Hg diastolic.