Table 1.
Sample Characteristics, Ages 50 and Above, Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS)1 (percent unless otherwise noted)
| Characteristics | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Lower Body Functional Limitations (LBFL) | ||
| Mean LBFL (Std. Dev) | 2.0 (2.3) | 3.0 (2.5) |
| Age, mean (Std. Dev.) | 61.5 (9.3) | 62.3 (9.3) |
| Early life conditions | ||
| Born in a high migration state | ||
| Yes | 33.0 | 33.1 |
| No | 67.0 | 66.9 |
| Often went to bed hungry before age 10 | ||
| Yes | 35.6 | 30.8 |
| No | 63.6 | 68.1 |
| Missing | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| Serious health problems before age 10 | ||
| Yes | 10.6 | 11.5 |
| No | 87.7 | 87.2 |
| Missing | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| Father’s occupation | ||
| Agriculture | 58.3 | 54.7 |
| Office/Professional | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Other nonagricultural | 29.1 | 30.7 |
| Other2 | 5.5 | 6.0 |
| Had no father/guardian | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| Missing | 1.7 | 2.5 |
| Mother’s education | 50.9 | 50.1 |
| None | 34.8 | 35.7 |
| Elementary school | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| Junior high school or above | 10.4 | 9.8 |
| Missing | ||
| Adult sociodemographic characteristics | ||
| Respondent’s education | ||
| None | 21.4 | 27.9 |
| Some elementary school | 35.0 | 34.5 |
| Completed elementary school | 19.5 | 17.6 |
| Junior high school | 8.0 | 5.4 |
| High school or above | 16.0 | 14.6 |
| Missing | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Respondent’s occupation | ||
| Professional/ administrative | 15.1 | 8.7 |
| Agriculture/forestry | 26.9 | 6.6 |
| Other industries | 57.3 | 54.7 |
| Never had a job | 0.3 | 29.9 |
| Missing | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Individual income | ||
| No income or negative income (%) | 10.1 | 19.3 |
| Mean (Std. Dev.) of positive income (US $) | 769.0 (4,454.6) | 603.2 (4,499.1) |
| Household assets | ||
| No assets or negative assets (%) | 5.6 | 9.7 |
| Mean (Std. Dev.) of positive assets(US $) | 56,189.0 (107,691.2) | 47430.5 (76,428.4) |
| Married or in consensual union | ||
| Yes | 75.5 | 40.1 |
| No | 24.6 | 59.9 |
| Health behaviors & indicators | ||
| Smoking behavior | ||
| Never | 33.4 | 74.8 |
| Started smoking before age 16 | 27.4 | 5.9 |
| Started smoking at age 16 or older | 38.4 | 18.9 |
| Missing | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Body mass index (BMI) | ||
| Underweight | 1.4 | 1.9 |
| Normal weight | 31.9 | 22.8 |
| Overweight | 36.9 | 29.4 |
| Obese | 17.2 | 20.1 |
| Missing | 12.6 | 25.7 |
| Chronic diseases & symptoms | ||
| Have diabetes | ||
| Yes | 13.6 | 18.1 |
| No | 85.9 | 81.6 |
| Missing | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| Have arthritis | ||
| Yes | 13.8 | 23.5 |
| No | 85.9 | 76.3 |
| Missing | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Often suffer from pain | ||
| Yes | 32.9 | 45.5 |
| No | 67.1 | 54.5 |
| Missing | 0.1 | 0 |
1
Respondents with a proxy interview and those with missing data for functional status have been excluded.
2
Other refers to childcare and occupations not specified in the questionnaire. It also includes those who did not work.