Table 1.
Characteristics of the sample. CVD Cardiovascular disease
| Variable, mean ± SD | Men | Women | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 65.2 ± 9.2 | 66.2 ± 9.8 | 0.001 |
| Education | |||
| Higher education (%) | 32.7 | 19.4 | <0.001 |
| No qualification (%) | 30.1 | 42.3 | <0.001 |
| Current smokers (%) | 12.5 | 11.2 | 0.034 |
| Physically inactive (%) | 13.1 | 18.6 | 0.001 |
| Morbidity (%) | |||
| CVDa | 18.7 | 20.1 | 0.030 |
| Arthritis | 13.6 | 20.9 | 0.001 |
| Taking medications (%)b | 37.0 | 34.0 | 0.039 |
| Body mass index (kg m2) | 27.8 ± 4.2 | 27.7 ± 5.0 | 0.684 |
| C-reactive protein (mg/L) | 3.40 ± 5.68 | 3.76 ± 6.28 | 0.058 |
| Fibrinogen (g/L) | 3.12 ± 0.71 | 3.26 ± 0.69 | <0.001 |
| Cholesterol (mmol/L) | 5.64 ± 1.16 | 6.20 ± 1.16 | <0.001 |
| Haemoglobin (g/dL) | 15.0 ± 1.28 | 13.8 ± 1.18 | <0.001 |
| HbA1c (%) | 5.61 ± 0.74 | 5.55 ± 0.61 | 0.011 |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 135.4 ± 17.5 | 134.4 ± 19.8 | 0.080 |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | 75.9 ± 11.4 | 74.8 ± 10.7 | 0.001 |
| Hand grip strength (kg) | 39.11 ± 9.15 | 23.02 ± 6.05 | <0.001 |
| Time for 5 chair raises (secs) | 11.3 ± 4.0 | 12.0 ± 4.6 | <0.001 |
aIncludes angina, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, hypertension, diabetes
bIncludes medications for blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol lowering