Table 1.
Characteristics of the sample of 4354 women without heart disease, diabetes or stroke by ethnicity
| Statistics | Australia | UK and Ireland | Northern Europe | Southern Europe | Asia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | N | 3329 | 416 | 180 | 234 | 195 |
| Age (years) | Mean±SD | 41.9±13.5 | 45.7±12.5 | 49.0±11.7 | 47.8±10.6 | 40.5±10.9 |
| Current smoker (Yes) | n (%) | 751 (22.6) | 91 (21.9) | 39 (21.7) | 32 (13.7) | 19 (9.7) |
| Weight (kg) | Mean±SD | 65.4±12.6a | 65.2±12.0a | 66.5±12.6a | 66.9±11.8a | 58.6±11.6b |
| Height (cm) | Mean±SD | 162.8±6.0a | 162.3±6.2a | 161.9±6.2a | 156.8±6.1b | 156.7±5.7b |
| BMI (kg/m2) | Mean±SD | 24.7±4.8b | 24.7±4.2b,c | 25.4±4.6b,d | 27.2±4.4a | 23.8±4.3c,d |
| WC (cm) | Mean±SD | 75.9±11.0b | 76.2±10.5b | 78.4±11.9b | 81.2±11.0a | 73.9±10.4b |
| WHR | Mean±SD | 0.76±0.06c | 0.76±0.06c | 0.77±0.07b,c | 0.79±0.06a | 0.77±0.06a,b |
| SBP (mm Hg) | Mean±SD | 122±18a | 123±18b,c | 126±19a,b,c | 127±19a,b | 116±19c |
| HDL (mmol/L) | Mean±SD | 1.5±0.4a | 1.5±0.4a | 1.5±0.4a | 1.4±0.3b | 1.4±0.4a,b |
| TC (mmol/L) | Mean±SD | 5.4±1.1 | 5.6±1.2 | 5.7±1.3 | 5.7±1.1 | 5.2±1.0 |
| Ratio: HDL to TC | Mean±SD | 3.9±1.3b | 4.0±1.4a,b | 4.0±1.4b | 4.3±1.4a | 3.9±1.2a,b |
a,b,c,d Means with different superscripts were significantly different at the 5% level of significance, after adjusting for age.
BMI, body mass index; HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; SBP, systolic blood pressure; TC, total cholesterol; WC, waist circumference; WHR, waist-to-hip ratio.