Table 1.
Physical appearance and self-reported information of young men from the Turku area in Finland
| Investigation period | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–2006, total (N= 858) | 1998–99 (N= 338) | 2001–03 (N= 382) | 2006 (N= 138) | ||||||
| Mean (SD) | Median (5–95) | Mean (SD) | Median (5–95) | Mean (SD) | Median (5–95) | Mean (SD) | Median (5–95) | p-value | |
| Physical appearance: | |||||||||
| Age (years)a | 19.0 (0.4) | 19.0 (18.3–19.6) | 18.8 (0.5) | 18.8 (18.2–19.6) | 19.0 (0.4) | 19.1 (18.4–19.7) | 19.1 (0.1) | 19.1 (18.9–19.4) | <0.005A |
| Height (m) | 1.79 (0.1) | 1.80 (1.70–1.90) | 1.80 (0.1) | 1.80 (1.70–1.91) | 1.79 (0.1) | 1.80 (1.70–1.90) | 1.79 (0.1) | 1.80 (1.70–1.90) | 0.6 A |
| Weight (kg) | 74 (11) | 72 (59–95) | 73 (11) | 72 (57–95) | 74 (11) | 73 (58–95) | 74 (11) | 73 (60–93) | 0.4 A |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 22.8 (3.0) | 22.5 (18.7–28.4) | 22.6 (2.8) | 22.2 (18.6–28.2) | 23.0 (3.1) | 22.6 (18.7–28.1) | 23.2 (3.0) | 22.7 (19.1–29.0) | 0.08 A |
| Testis size (mL)b | 22 (4) | 21 (15–28) | 22 (4) | 22 (15–29) | 21 (4) | 21 (15–27) | 21 (4) | 21 (15–25) | 0.07 A |
| Life-style: | |||||||||
| Cigarettes daily, all men | 4.2 (6.4) | 0.0 (0.0–19.5) | 4.1 (6.3) | 0.0 (0.0–20.0) | 4.5 (6.6) | 0.0 (0.0–19.7) | 3.8 (6.0) | 0.0 (0.0–15.8) | 0.5 A |
| Cigarettes daily, smokers only | 10.7 (5.8) | 10.0 (2.0–20.0) | 10.5 (5.9) | 10.0 (1.0–20.0) | 10.8 (6.0) | 10.0 (1.5–20.0) | 11.1 (5.0) | 10.0 (2.4–20.0) | 0.7 A |
| Alcohol consumption (units)c | 9.7 (11.1) | 7.0 (0.0–30.0) | 9.1 (10.1) | 7.0 (0.0–30.0) | 10.0 (12.2) | 7.0 (0.0–30.5) | 10.4 (10.0) | 9.0 (0.0–28.15) | 0.5 A |
| % | % | % | % | ||||||
| Smokers | 41.7 | 42.8 | 43.4 | 34.3 | 0.2B | ||||
| Mother smoked in pregnancy | 10.2 | 11.4 | 10 | 7.8 | 0.5 B | ||||
| Been diagnosed as having: | |||||||||
| Varicocoele | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 B | ||||
| Epididymitis | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 B | ||||
| Sexually transmitted diseased | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.97 B | ||||
| Cystitis | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 0.9 B | ||||
| Diabetes | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.08 B | ||||
| Thyroid disease | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.6 B | ||||
| Been treated for: | |||||||||
| Varicocoele | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.2 B | ||||
| Testicular torsion | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.98 B | ||||
| Testicular cancer | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | ||||
| Other diseases of penis, urethra or scrotume | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 0.9 B | ||||
| Inguinal hernia | 5.1 | 6.8 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 0.2 B | ||||
| Has: | |||||||||
| Had cryptorchidismf | 7.8 | 10.1 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 0.1 B | ||||
| Experienced fertility problemsg | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.9 B | ||||
| Caused a pregnancyh | 4.0 | 2.4 | 5.8 | 3.0 | 0.06 B | ||||
| taken any medication during past 3 monthsi | 17.6 | 15.7 | 18.1 | 21.0 | 0.4 B | ||||
| Subgroup of men not affected by any of above three main conditions: | 63.2 | 63.0 | 65.4 | 57.2 | 0.2B | ||||
SD: Standard deviation; 5–95: 5–95 percentiles.
Data on physical appearance were obtained during the physical examination of the study subjects, whereas the remaining were obtained from the questionnaire answered by the men.
The three groups ‘Been diagnosed as having’, ‘Been treated for’ and ‘Has’ are based on questions phrased as ‘Has a doctor ever diagnosed you as having…’, ‘Have you ever been treated for…’ and ‘Have you ever…’ respectively.
The ‘Subgroup of men not affected by any of above three main conditions’ are men who were not included in the above-mentioned three groups.
Calculated as difference between day of attendance in study and self-reported day of birth.
Mean of left and right testes size assessed by palpation. Information of testis size was missing for 3, 9 and 3 men from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd investigation period, respectively.
Sum of intake of beer, wine and strong alcohol recent week prior to participation in study.
Chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
If answer was yes, then the men were asked to specify the type of treatment, which were all treatment for phimosis. None reported being treated for hypospadias.
Ever had cryptorchidism, i.e. not born with both testicles in scrotum (irrespective of spontaneous descend, treatment or still cryptorchid).
Ever had regular intercourse without use of contraception for at least one year, without partner became pregnant.
Ever caused a pregnancy.
Taken any medication recent 3 months prior to participation in study.
Kruskal–Wallis.
Chi-squared test.
p-value: For comparison of results among the three study periods. The difference in age was caused by younger age of the men investigated 1998–99.