Table 1.
Characteristics of colon cancer cases and controls.
| Characteristic a | Cases (N = 326) | Controls (N = 652) |
| Gender | ||
| Female | 45% | 45% |
| Age (yrs) | ||
| <50 | 15% | 11% |
| 50–59 | 22 | 25 |
| 60–69 | 32 | 34 |
| >65 | 31 | 30 |
| Mean (SEM) | 63.2 (0.7) | 63.5 (0.6) |
| Race | ||
| Caucasian | 90% | 86% |
| Residence | ||
| Franklin County, Ohio | 81% | 83% |
| Adjacent Counties | 18 | 15 |
| Other | 1 | 2 |
| Education | ||
| < 12 yrs | 12% | 12% |
| 12 yrs | 53 | 55 |
| > 12 yrs | 35 | 33 |
| Family History | ||
| Positive | 20% | 13% (p < 0.01) |
| Body Mass | ||
| BMI < 22 | 14% | 12% |
| BMI 22–27 | 32 | 40 |
| BMI > 27 | 55 | 48 |
| Mean (SEM) | 29.1 (0.5) | 28.1 (0.3) |
| Smoking | ||
| (>10 Pack-years) | 33% | 22% (p < 0.01) |
| Alcohol Intake | ||
| None | 47% | 45% |
| 1–2 drinks per week | 36 | 35 |
| > 2 drinks per week | 17 | 20 |
| Hypertension | 47% | 28% (p < 0.01) |
a Family History: colon cancer among first or second degree relatives; Body Mass Index = weight (kg)/ht 2 (m).