Table 2. Baseline characteristics for retired National Football League (NFL) players and Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS) controls*.
| Characteristic | Retired NFL (n=200) | ACLS (n=400) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 55.2 ± 11.9 | 52.5 ± 11.9 | 0.01 |
| Time since retirement (years) | 24.8 ± 12.2 | - | - |
| Linemen | 115 (57.5 %) | - | - |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 31.7 ± 4.7 | 28.6 ± 3.1 | < 0.001 |
| Weight (kg) | 110.6 ± 19.6 | 94.6 ± 14.7 | < 0.001 |
| Height (cm) | 186.2 ± 6.9 | 179.8 ± 7.4 | < 0.001 |
| Waist (cm) | 105.7 ± 12.7 | 98.4 ± 8.9 | < 0.001 |
| Waist/hip ratio | 1.06 ± 0.73 | 0.93 ± 0.05 | < 0.001 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 129.2 ± 17.0 | 129.0 ± 16.0 | 0.70 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 77.5 ± 11.1 | 85.0 ± 9.8 | < 0.001 |
| Total cholesterol, (mg/dL)‡ | 192.9 ± 41.9 | 204.0 ± 41.6 | < 0.001 |
| Low density lipoprotein, (mg/dL)‡ | 126 ± 36.2 | 124.7 ± 37.2 | 0.37 |
| High density lipoprotein, (mg/dL)‡ | 49.4 ± 17.0 | 46.4 ± 11.5 | 0.35 |
| Triglyceride, (mg/dL)† ‡ | 83.5 [61, 122] | 127.5 [92, 177] | < 0.001 |
| Glucose, (mg/dL)‡ | 102.3 ± 17.0 | 104.5 ± 20.5 | 0.08 |
| High sensitive C Reactive Protein, (mg/L) † ‡ | 4.2 [0,196.5] | 11.0 [0, 186] | 0.69 |
*
presented as means ± SD, except where otherwise noted
†
presented as median [interquartile range]
‡
SI conversion factors: To convert low-density and high-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol