Table 1.
Demographic and Psychosocial Characteristics of Study Population
| Characteristic | Exercise | Meditationa | Control | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample, n | 47 | 51 | 51 | |
| Age, mean y (SD) | 59.0 (6.6) | 60.0 (6.5) | 58.8 (6.8) | 0.63 |
| Female, n (%) | 39 (83.0) | 42 (82.4) | 41 (80.4) | 0.94 |
| Nonsmokers, n (%) | 43 (91.5) | 48 (94.1) | 48 (94.1) | 0.84 |
| Race,b n (%) | 3 (6.4) | 1(1.9) | 2 (3.9) | 0.52 |
| Black | ||||
| White, n (%) | 43 (91.5) | 49 (92.5) | 48 (94.1) | 0.88 |
| Other, n (%) | 1 (2.13) | 3(5.7) | 1 (2.0) | 0.50 |
| Ethnicity non-Hispanic, n (%) | 47 (100) | 51 (100) | 49 (96.1) | 0.14 |
| BMI, mean (SD) | 29.0 (6.9) | 29.0 (6.0) | 29.8 (6.8) | 0.77 |
| SF-12 physical, mean score (SD) | 50.9 (9.3) | 50.7 (9.4) | 50.0 (9.3) | 0.89 |
| SF-12 mental, mean score (SD) | 52.3 (6.6) | 50.9 (8.6) | 51.1 (7.8) | 0.62 |
| College graduate or higher, n (%) | 27 (57.4) | 36 (70.6) | 35 (68.6) | 0.34 |
| Income >$50,000, n (%) | 25 (53.2) | 31 (60.8) | 29 (56.9) | 0.75 |
| Mean scores at baseline, n (SD) | ||||
| Physical health (SF-12) | 50.9 (9.3) | 50.7 (9.4) | 50.0 (9.3) | 0.89 |
| Mental health (SF-12) | 52.3 (6.6) | 50.9 (8.6) | 51.1 (7.8) | 0.62 |
| Negative emotion (PANAS) | 15.2 (5.1) | 15.8 (4.0) | 14.8 (3.7) | 0.45 |
| Positive emotion (PANAS) | 36.7 (6.2) | 36.2 (6.5) | 36.3 (6.6) | 0.91 |
| Optimism (LOT) | 27.1 (3.4) | 27.1 (3.9) | 28.3 (3.6) | 0.17 |
| Social support (Ryff PR) | 44.9 (7.2) | 45.4 (6.6) | 45.9 (6.3) | 0.73 |
| Perceived stress (PSS-10) | 11.4 (6.0) | 13.0 (4.7) | 11.2 (5.4) | 0.19 |
| Anxiety (current state) (STAI) | 30.7 (9.1) | 32.2 (8.1) | 29.8 (7.3) | 0.31 |
| Sleep quality (PSQI) | 4.6 (3.1) | 5.1 (2.6) | 4.7 (2.5) | 0.46 |
| Mindfulness (MAAS) | 4.6 (0.7) | 4.5 (0.7) | 4.6 (0.7) | 0.37 |
| Exercise, MET min/wk (IPAQ) | 1,214 (1,526) | 644 (664) | 925 (1,225) | 0.06 |
BMI = body mass index (weight/height2); IPAQ = International Physical Activity Questionnaire; LOT = Life Orientation Test; MAAS = Mindful Attention Awareness Scale; PANAS = Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; PSS-10 = 10-item Perceived Stress Scale; PSQI = Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Ryff PR = Ryff’s 9-item Positive Relationships with Others scale; SF-12 = Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-12; STAI = State Trait Anxiety Inventory.
Note: P values were calculated by analysis of variance using NCSS 2007, LLC (http://www.ncss.com).
a
Missing information on income from meditation group (n = 2).
b
One person in the meditation group reported 3 racial categories.