Table 1. Baseline characteristics.
| Characteristic | N (valid cases) | Former Steiner school attendees n(%)1 | Controls n(%)1 | |
| Sociodemographics | ||||
| Age Mean (sd) | 2882 | 44.3 (16.4) | 44.9 (17.0) | |
| Sex | 2876 | |||
| Female | 669 (59.2%) | 994 (56.9%) | ||
| Male | 461 (40.8%) | 752 (43.1%) | ||
| Region | 2882 | |||
| Berlin | 261 (23.0%) | 430 (24.6%) | ||
| Hanover | 252 (22.2%) | 469 (26.9%) | ||
| Nuremberg | 284 (25.0%) | 407 (23.3%) | ||
| Stuttgart | 339 (29.8%) | 440 (25.2%) | ||
| Nationality | 2877 | |||
| German | 1084 (95.7%) | 1583 (90.8%) | ||
| German and other | 40 (3.5%) | 39 (2.2%) | ||
| not German | 9 (0.8%) | 122 (7.0%) | ||
| Education2 | 2875 | |||
| A-level not achieved | 265 (23.4%) | 758 (43.5%) | ||
| A-level achieved | 869 (76.6%) | 983 (56.5%) | ||
| Family Status: | 2868 | |||
| In relationship | 794 (70.3%) | 1204 (69.2%) | ||
| Single | 335 (29.7%) | 535 (30.8%) | ||
| Social support3 Mean (sd) | 2860 | 11.3 (2.3) | 10.5 (2.5) | |
| Actual lifestyle features | ||||
| Alcohol consumption: | 2861 | |||
| less than moderate | 741 (65.6%) | 1163 (67.1%) | ||
| moderate and more | 388 (34.4%) | 569 (32.8%) | ||
| Smoking | 2882 | |||
| current smoker | 280 (24.6%) | 471 (27.0%) | ||
| former or never smoker | 856 (75.3%) | 1275 (73.0%) | ||
| Attention on balanced diet | 2856 | |||
| less than moderate | 113 (10.0%) | 328 (19.0%) | ||
| moderate and more | 1015 (90.0%) | 1400 (81.0%) | ||
| Intake of fresh vegetables and fruits on | 2863 | |||
| on less than 5 days/week | 321 (28.4%) | 714 (41.2%) | ||
| on 5 days/week or more | 808 (71.6%) | 1020 (58.8%) | ||
| Attention on physical activity | 2861 | |||
| less than moderate | 606 (53.7%) | 884 (51.0%) | ||
| moderate and more | 523 (46.3%) | 848 (49.0%) | ||
| Physical activity | 2860 | |||
| on less than 5 days/week | 885 (78.5%) | 1455 (84.0%) | ||
| on 5 days/week or more | 243 (21.5%) | 277 (16.0%) | ||
| Childhood lifestyle features | ||||
| Education Parents2 | 2882 | |||
| A-Level or university degree | 857 (75.4%) | 736 (42.1%) | ||
| below A-Level | 260 (22.9%) | 905 (51.8%) | ||
| Others/unknown | 19 (1.7%) | 105 (6.0%) | ||
| Siblings | 2863 | |||
| none | 162 (14.3%) | 263 (15.2%) | ||
| at least one | 969 (85.7%) | 1469 (84.8%) | ||
| Parents favoured certain pedagogic method | 2882 | |||
| yes | 1004 (88.4%) | 407 (23.3%) | ||
| no | 108 (9.5%) | 1209 (69.2%) | ||
| unknown | 24 (2.1%) | 130 (7.4%) | ||
| Parents had spiritual or religious beliefs | 2869 | |||
| yes | 660 (58.4%) | 722 (41.5%) | ||
| no | 439 (38.8%) | 992 (57.0%) | ||
| unknown | 31 (2.7%) | 25 (1.4%) | ||
| Focus on balanced diet in childhood | 2786 | |||
| less than moderate | 181 (16.3%) | 578 (34.5%) | ||
| moderate and more | 931 (83.7%) | 1096 (65.5%) | ||
| Focus on physical activity in childhood less than moderate | 2756 | |||
| less than moderate | 228 (20.7%) | 439 (26.5%) | ||
| moderate and more | 872 (79.3%) | 1217 (73.5%) | ||
1
except Age and Social support (mean (sd)).
2
A-level is equivalent to German (Fach-)Abitur as necessary for university attendance.
3
0–16 with higher values meaning more social support.