Table 1.

Frequency distribution of respondents by socio-demographic characteristics and selected variables

Demographic characteristics (n=2508)	Mean	SD	n	Percentage (%)
Age (years)	56.6	10.67
30 – 39			158	6.3
40 – 49			458	18.3
50 – 59			891	35.5
60 – 69			728	29.0
70 – 79			238	9.5
≥ 80			35	1.4
Sex
Male			975	38.9
Female			1533	61.1
Ethnicitya
Malay			1282	51.2
Chinese			438	17.5
Asian Indian			787	31.3
Highest Educational Level
None			285	11.4
Never completed primary school			423	16.9
Completed primary school			519	20.7
Never completed secondary school			462	18.4
Completed secondary school			523	20.9
A-Level/STPM/HSC			184	7.3
Tertiary			112	4.5
Monthly household income (MHI) in Malaysian Ringgit (MYRb)	1,974.6	1,869.12
< 400			114	4.5
400 – 699			277	11.0
700 – 999			313	12.5
1000 – 1999			798	31.8
2000 – 2999			510	20.3
3000 – 3999			207	8.3
4000 – 4999			105	4.2
≥ 5000			184	7.3
Marital Status
Never married			71	2.8
Married/Cohabiting			2048	81.7
Divorced/Separated/Widowed			389	15.5
Current Job Status
Civil servant			227	9.0
Private Sector employee			448	17.8
Self-employed			171	6.8
Government retiree			210	8.4
Private retiree			158	6.3
Studying and working			2	0.2
Student			2	0.1
Housewife			781	31.1
Unemployed			509	20.3
BMI (kg/m2)	27.83	5.395
Underweight (< 18.5)			28	1.1
Normal (≥ 18.5 - < 25.0)			751	29.9
Overweight (≥ 25.0 - < 30.0)			1034	41.2
Obese (≥ 30.0)			695	27.7
Abdominal Obesity
No			540	21.5
Yes			1968	78.5
Serum Cholesterol (mmol/l)	5.03	0.878
< 5.2			1767	70.5
≥ 5.2			741	29.5
HbA1c (%)a	8.36	2.038
≤8.5			1537	61.3
>8.5			970	38.7
Duration of Diabetes (years)	7.7	6.26
< 2 yrs			206	8.2
2 - < 10 yrs			1521	60.6
10 - < 20 yrs			586	23.4
≥ 20 yrs			195	7.8
Co-morbidityc
No			530	21.1
Yes			1978	78.9
Psychiatric illness in family
No			2484	99.0
Yes			24	1.0
Diabetes in family
No			661	26.4
Yes			1847	73.6
Life events within the last 6 months
No			1373	54.7
Yes			1135	45.3
Smoking status†
Non-smoker			2089	83.3
Former smoker			160	6.4
Current smoker			259	10.3
Alcohol Consumption Status‡
Lifetime abstainer			2326	92.7
Former drinker			88	3.5
Current drinker			94	3.8
Leisure-time Physical Activity Status§
Regular activity			793	31.6
Some activity			483	19.3
Inactive			1232	49.1
Life events within the last 6 months¶
No			1373	54.7
Yes			1135	45.3

^a one missing data.

^b1 USD is approximately 3 MYR.

^c Co-morbidity –any chronic co-morbid condition present.

^† Non-smoker - Respondent who reported to have never smoked at least 100 cigarettes in his lifetime.

Current smoker- Respondents who reported to have smoked 100 or more cigarettes in his lifetime and currently smoked daily or some days.

Former smoker - Respondents who reported to have smoked 100 or more cigarettes in his lifetime but not smoking currently.

‡ a) Current drinker – persons who have had at least 12 drinks in their lifetime and at least one drink in the previous year.

b) Former drinker - persons who have had ≥12 drinks in their lifetime, but no drinks in the past year.

c) Lifetime abstainer – had < 12 drinks in his/her entire lifetime.

§a) Inactive – did not report any sessions of light to moderate or vigorous leisure-time physical activity of at least 10 minutes or reported they were unable to perform leisure-time physical activity.

b) Some leisure-time activity – at least 1 session of light to moderate or vigorous activity of at least 10 minutes in duration but did not meet the requirement of regular leisure-time activity.

c) Regular leisure-time activity – at least 3 sessions per week of vigorous leisure-time activity lasting at least 20 minutes or at least 5 sessions per week of light to moderate physical activity lasting at least 30 minutes or both.

¶ Life events – any sudden change in one’s life whether desirable or undesirable.