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. 2013 Dec 4;29(2):193–200. doi: 10.1093/humrep/det428

Table III.

Association of abnormal semen quality end-points with anthropometric measurements and physical activity.

Characteristic Category Volume <1.5 ml, n (%) Concentration <15 M/ml, n (%) Sperm count <39 M, n (%) Vitality <58% n (%) WHO normal morphology <30%, n (%) Strict morphology < 4%, n (%) DFI > 30%, n (%)
BMI (kg/m2) <25.0 8 (5.03) 9 (5.66) 9 (5.66) 25 (15.72) 36 (45.00) 2 (2.50) 6 (7.32)
25.0–29.99 33 (9.59) 27 (7.85) 24 (6.98) 67 (19.48) 88 (49.44) 8 (4.49) 20 (10.47)
30.0–34.99 19 (8.92) 17 (7.98) 17 (7.98) 40 (18.78) 51 (43.59) 4 (3.42) 7 (5.88)
≥35.0 19 (15.20) 21 (16.80) 24 (19.20) 16 (13.11) 33 (54.10) 4 (6.56) 1 (1.49)
P-trend* 0.033 0.028 0.005 0.791 0.549 0.252 0.035
Waist circumference (cm) <93.99 19 (6.62) 17 (5.92) 16 (5.57) 53 (18.47) 65 (44.52) 5 (3.42) 9 (5.88)
94.0–101.59 26 (11.35) 17 (7.42) 15 (6.55) 42 (18.34) 62 (50.82) 5 (4.10) 16 (12.70)
≥101.6 34 (10.73) 38 (11.99) 41 (12.93) 48 (15.29) 79 (47.88) 8 (4.85) 9 (5.08)
P-trend* 0.099 0.025 0.008 0.459 0.479 0.377 0.882
Vigorous weekly activity <1 56 (11.64) 44 (9.15) 51 (10.60) 87 (18.16) 116 (46.03) 10 (3.97) 19 (7.17)
≥1 23 (6.39) 30 (8.33) 23 (6.39) 61 (16.99) 92 (50.00) 8 (4.35) 15 (7.73)
P-trend* 0.053 0.64 0.422 0.8 0.287 0.972 0.532

Each semen end-point was dichotomized as normal/abnormal according to WHO standard.

Semen parameters dichotomized per WHO 5th edition.

*P-values of trend test based on linear models. In particular, linear mixed effects models were used for end-points measured in two semen samples, including volume, concentration, motility, total sperm count and vitality, while linear regression models were used for % WHO normal and the DFI. All models adjusted for age (≤24, 25–29, 30–34, ≥35 years), college education (yes/no) and serum cotinine (non-smoker/active smoker).