Table 1.
Demographic characteristics of study participants by sex and ethnic group
| Men |
Women |
*PANOVA men | †PANOVA women | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | Malays | Asian-Indians | Chinese | Malays | Asian-Indians | |||
| Age (years) | 50.4 ± 12.3 | 50.3 ± 11.5 | 52.9 ± 11.7 | 49.1 ± 11.6 | 49.5 ± 11.6 | 51.5 ± 10.6 | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.5 ± 3.4 | 25.3 ± 4.0 | 24.8 ± 3.7 | 22.4 ± 3.8 | 26.9 ± 4.9 | 26.6 ± 4.6 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 87.4 ± 9.3 | 90.3 ± 10.2 | 93.2 ± 10.8 | 77.2 ± 9.4 | 86.0 ± 11.5 | 88.3 ± 10.8 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| BP (mmHg) | ||||||||
| Systolic | 134.3 ± 18.8 | 135.7 ± 18.6 | 133.3 ± 17.9 | 127.5 ± 21.5 | 139.1 ± 22.9 | 134.6 ± 24.4 | 0.173 | <0.001 |
| Diastolic | 81.3 ± 10.5 | 81.89 ± 9.8 | 81.4 ± 10.0 | 73.44 ± 9.7 | 77.39 ± 10.8 | 76.12 ± 10.3 | 0.760 | <0.001 |
| Total cholesterol (mmol/L) | 5.15 ± 0.9 | 5.45 ± 1.00 | 5.12 ± 0.92 | 5.22 ± 0.94 | 5.50 ± 1.02 | 5.22 ± 0.93 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides (mmol/L) | 1.50 ± 0.95 | 1.68 ± 0.91 | 1.55 ± 0.81 | 1.14 ± 0.71 | 1.40 ± 1.45 | 1.35 ± 0.66 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| HDL-C (mmol/L) | 1.32 ± 0.29 | 1.23 ± 0.27 | 1.15 ± 0.26 | 1.61 ± 0.36 | 1.48 ± 0.31 | 1.32 ± 0.29 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| LDL-C (mmol/L) | 3.14 ± 0.81 | 3.45 ± 0.93 | 3.26 ± 0.84 | 3.09 ± 0.83 | 3.38 ± 0.99 | 3.29 ± 0.77 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Fasting glucose (mmol/L) | 5.15 ± 1.23 | 5.52 ± 2.26 | 5.78 ± 2.10 | 4.85 ± 1.11 | 5.38 ± 2.00 | 5.65 ± 2.20 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Fasting insulin (μU/L) | 7.44 ± 6.51 | 8.73 ± 7.57 | 11.45 ± 11.13 | 7.01 ± 5.04 | 9.23 ± 5.60 | 12.00 ± 8.82 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| HOMA-IR | 1.76 ± 1.72 | 2.23 ± 2.54 | 3.02 ± 3.26 | 1.58 ± 1.43 | 2.28 ± 1.84 | 3.18 ± 3.18 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| CRP (mg/L) | 2.11 ± 5.89 | 2.82 ± 4.23 | 3.25 ± 7.10 | 2.02 ± 4.33 | 3.64 ± 4.89 | 5.71 ± 8.36 | 0.001 | <0.001 |
| Total adiponectin (μg/mL) | 3.10 ± 1.79 | 2.97 ± 1.80 | 2.97 ± 1.75 | 4.60 ± 2.50 | 4.28 ± 2.52 | 3.83 ± 1.95 | 0.268 | <0.001 |
| CVD (%) | 5.1 | 5.1 | 13.4 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 3.9 | <0.001 | 0.003 |
| Diabetes (%) | 7.3 | 10.7 | 19.8 | 5.0 | 12.4 | 18.6 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Statin use (%) | 10.4 | 10.5 | 18.0 | 6.8 | 9.5 | 11.5 | <0.001 | 0.003 |
| Aspirin use (%) | 5.3 | 5.1 | 13.7 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 3.9 | <0.001 | 0.003 |
| Current smokers (%) | 19.5 | 34 | 21.8 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 0.7 | <0.001 | 0.001 |
Data are expressed as mean ± SD or as % (proportion to the group). The χ2 test was used for categorical variables to compare differences between the ethnic groups. For men, n = 1,390 Chinese, 428 Malays, and 388 Asian-Indians. For women, n = 1,745 Chinese, 444 Malays, and 409 Asian-Indians. HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment-IR. CVD was defined as history of coronary heart disease, stroke, or transient ischemic attack. Diabetes was defined as history of diabetes with or without treatment.
*P value for comparison between the ethnic groups in men;
†P value for comparison between the ethnic groups in women.