Table 1.
General and clinical characteristics of U.S. adults aged ≥50 by gender, NHANES 1999–2002
| Characteristic | Men (N = 835) % (or mean) ± SE | Women (N = 850) % (or mean) ± SE | P |
| Age, years, mean | 62.8 ± 0.4 | 64.1 ± 0.3 | 0.0083 |
| Non-Hispanic white | 83.5 ± 1.9 | 81.5 ± 2.6 | 0.1703 |
| Non-Hispanic black | 6.3 ± 1.0 | 6.8 ± 1.3 | 0.5443 |
| Mexican American | 3.7 ± 0.7 | 3.4 ± 0.8 | 0.4768 |
| Other (other & other Hispanic) | 6.5 ± 1.4 | 8.3 ± 2.4 | 0.2099 |
| ≥High school education | 76.9 ± 1.8 | 75.0 ± 1.5 | 0.2955 |
| Gait speed impairment | 29.3 ± 2.6 | 12.5 ± 1.3 | 0.0000 |
| Gait Speed (meters/second), mean | 1.05 ± 0.01 | 1.02 ± 0.01 | 0.0891 |
| METs/week of leisure-time physical activity | |||
| 0 | 38.5 ± 3.4 | 46.0 ± 3.3 | 0.0210 |
| >0-<22.5 | 29.8 ± 2.3 | 27.9 ± 2.2 | 0.5112 |
| 22.5-<35 | 12.5 ± 1.2 | 12.0 ± 1.6 | 0.7407 |
| ≥35 | 19.1 ± 2.3 | 14.1 ± 1.6 | 0.0690 |
| Smoking status | |||
| Never | 26.4 ± 2.0 | 56.0 ± 1.8 | 0.0000 |
| Current | 23.6 ± 2.1 | 15.3 ± 1.8 | 0.0001 |
| Former | 50.1 ± 2.3 | 28.7 ± 1.7 | 0.0000 |
| Alcohol consumption | |||
| Non-drinker | 25.0 ± 2.3 | 40.1 ± 2.2 | 0.0000 |
| Moderate drinker | 59.3 ± 2.9 | 52.8 ± 2.3 | 0.0857 |
| Heavy drinker | 15.6 ± 1.9 | 7.1 ± 1.1 | 0.0010 |
| Arthritis | 36.0 ± 1.5 | 51.9 ± 2.1 | 0.0000 |
| Walking aid | 1.3 ± 0.3 | 2.1 ± 0.5 | 0.2207 |
| BMI >30 kg/m2 | 29.7 ± 2.1 | 32.0 ± 2.4 | 0.3896 |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean | 28.2 ± 0.2 | 28.3 ± 0.3 | 0.8759 |
| Waist circumference (cm), mean | 103.4 ± 0.5 | 95.3 ± 0.8 | 0.0000 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg), mean | 129.5 ± 0.8 | 135.4 ± 0.6 | 0.0000 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg), mean | 74.0 ± 0.5 | 71.3 ± 0.7 | 0.0025 |
| Fasting Glucose (mg/dl), mean | 112.7 ± 1.7 | 105.0 ± 1.4 | 0.0004 |
| Triglyceride (mg/dl), mean | 175.9 ± 11.3 | 158.9 ± 4.7 | 0.1573 |
| Total cholesterol concentration (mg/dl), mean | 207.5 ± 2.1 | 220.3 ± 1.5 | 0.0000 |
| LDL cholesterol (mg/dl), mean | 128.3 ± 1.7 | 130.3 ± 1.5 | 0.3398 |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dl), mean | 46.7 ± 0.5 | 59.1 ± 0.8 | 0.0000 |
NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; SE, standard error; METs, metabolic equivalents; LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.