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. 2004 Jan 6;90(1):160–166. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6601440

Table 2. Distribution of breast cancer risk factors in controls by ethnic subgroup.

  Gujarati Hindu (n=186) Punjabi Hindu (n=54) Punjabi Sikh (n=105) Pakistani/Indian Muslim (n=101) Bangladeshi Muslim (n=29)
  Mean (SD) unless otherwise stated
Socio-demographic characteristics
 Age at diagnosis of index case (years) 51.7 (9.5) 51.9 (7.9) 50.1 (9.1) 51.8 (8.6) 52.1 (9.1)
 Age at migration to UK (years) 29.2 (10.8) 25.4 (9.3) 24.8 (9.7) 28.6 (10.7) 36.6 (13.3)
 % East African South Asian 70.4 14.8 21.0 24.8 0
 % with no formal eduction 7.0 13.0 21.9 32.7 17.2
 % in manual social classes 36.6 35.2 60 41.6 75.9
 
Reproductive factors
 Age at menarche (years)a 13.8 (1.8) 13.7 (1.7) 14.1 (1.7) 13.9 (1.7) 12.7 (1.4)
 % nulliparous 10.2 1.4 3.7 5.7 2.9
 Age at first birth (years)b 23.7 (4.6) 23.6 (3.8) 23.6 (4.6) 23.2 (4.4) 22.4 (4.8)
Parityb n (%)
 1–2 84 (50) 24 (45) 35 (35) 25 (26) 6 (21)
 3–4 69 (41) 18 (34) 45 (45) 33 (24) 5 (18)
 ⩾5 16 (9) 11 (21) 20 (20) 38 (40) 17 (61)
Breast feedingb
 Ever breastfed (%) 84 81 72 81 86
 Median total lifetime duration (months) 12.0 5.0 7.3 12.4 63.1
 Median duration per child (months) 6.5 3.7 4.4 5.1 14.5
 % post menopausal 57 50 42 53 52
Median age at menopause (years) 47 47 49 46 48
 
Familial factors
 % with family history of breast cancer 4.8 3.7 3.8 3.0 0.0
 % with first degree consanguineous parents 0 0 0 29.7 27.6
 
Environmental factorsc
 Adult height (cm) 153.2 (5.6) 155.3 (6.6) 155.8 (6.3) 155.2 (6.0) 151.2 (5.4)
 Leg length (cm) 75.7 (7.0) 76.0 (5.6) 75.9 (7.6) 76.6 (4.6) 73.9 (3.3)
 Waist : hip ratio 0.80 (0.07) 0.81 (0.07) 0.82 (0.07) 0.83 (0.07) 0.90 (0.06)
 Waist circumference (cm) 84.5 (10.0) 87.7 (10.6) 87.2 (10.2) 88.2 (11.9) 89.8 (10.9)
 BMId (kg m−2) 27.5 (4.7) 28.7 (5.0) 28.3 (5.0) 27.9 (5.1) 26.4 (5.2)
 METe score at age 12f 36.7 (33.5–40.3) 32.9 (27.2–39.8) 38.4 (35.0–42.2) 37.8 (32.8–43.6) 43.7 (35.5–53.7)
 METe score at age 30f 13.4 (12.0–14.8) 12.4 (10.0–15.4) 16.0 (14.2–18.0) 16.2 (13.8–18.9) 20.8 (15.7–27.5)
 % Vegetarian diet 78 43 42 0 0
 Energy intake (kcal day−1) 1949 (488) 1923 (513) 1940 (471) 1851 (539) 1815 (469)
 % Energy from fat 42.3 (6.0) 36.2 (5.5) 36.9 (4.9) 36.6 (4.9) 38.2 (5.1)
 NSPg (g/1000 kcal) 11.3 (1.8) 12.1 (2.3) 11.9 (2.2) 10.7 (2.4) 5.9 (2.2)
a

22 women with missing values excluded.

b

Parous women only.

c

All anthropometric data measured at interview; 14 women without anthropometric data excluded.

d

BMI=body mass index.

e

MET=metabolic equivalent score per week.

f

Geometric mean and 95% confidence interval.

g

NSP=nonstarch polysaccarides.