Table 1. Characteristics of study sample at baseline (n = 1034).
| Category | Variable | n | % |
| Gender | Male | 549 | 53.1 |
| Female | 485 | 46.9 | |
| Nationality | German (yes) | 1011 | 97.8 |
| Age (years) | 50–59 | 250 | 24.2 |
| 60–64 | 288 | 27.9 | |
| 65–69 | 298 | 28.8 | |
| 70–75 | 198 | 19.1 | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried | 41 | 4.0 |
| Married | 763 | 73.8 | |
| Divorced, widowed | 206 | 19.9 | |
| Duration of school education (years) | 0 – 8 | 41 | 4.0 |
| 9–10 | 855 | 82.7 | |
| 11–12 | 61 | 5.9 | |
| >12 | 38 | 3.7 | |
| Working status | Currently working (yes) | 187 | 18.1 |
| Smoking status | Currently smoking | 140 | 13.5 |
| Former smoker | 397 | 38.4 | |
| Never smoked | 467 | 45.2 | |
| Glycemic control (HbA1c %) | <6,1% | 247 | 23.9 |
| ≥6,1%; <7% | 333 | 32.2 | |
| ≥7% | 446 | 43.1 | |
| Treatment | Insulin (yes) | 178 | 17.2 |
| Comorbidity | Physician diagnosed hypertension | 786 | 76.0 |
| Physician diagnosed dyslipidemia | 544 | 52.6 | |
| Self-reported cancer | 77 | 7.4 | |
| Self-reported asthma | 61 | 5.9 | |
| Self-reported depression | 131 | 12.7 | |
| Diabetes-related Complications | Cardiac complications* | 284 | 27.5 |
| Stroke | 63 | 6.1 | |
| Circulatory disorder of the legs | 248 | 24 | |
| Albuminuria (≥20mg/l) | 237 | 22.9 |