Table 1.
Characteristics of the study population in childhood and adulthood
| Characteristic | Men | Women | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| n = 230 | n = 276 | ||
| Childhood (12–13 years) | |||
| Height, cm* | 155.2 (7.8) | 158.4 (6.9) | <0.001 |
| Weight, kg** | 42.9 (13.2) | 47.1 (13.0) | <0.001 |
| BMI, kg/m2** | 17.8 (3.4) | 18.6 (3.3) | 0.003 |
| Triceps skinfold thickness, mm** | 10.2 (5.1) | 13.7 (6.4) | <0.001 |
| Subscapular skinfold thickness, mm** | 5.5 (2.4) | 7.3 (3.8) | <0.001 |
| Overweight/obesity prevalence, % | 11.3 | 12.7 | 0.623 |
| Obesity prevalence, % | 1.7 | 2.5 | 0.528 |
| Adulthood (48–49 years) | |||
| Height, cm* | 179.3 (6.3) | 167.1 (6.0) | <0.001 |
| Weight, kg** | 86.5 (20.0) | 70.4 (20.1) | <0.001 |
| BMI, kg/m2** | 26.9 (5.6) | 25.6 (6.6) | 0.008 |
| Waist circumference, cm* | 97.2 (12.5) | 85.0 (13.5) | <0.001 |
| Overweight prevalence, % | 43.9 | 35.0 | 0.01 |
| Obesity prevalence, % | 25.2 | 21.4 | 0.341 |
| Change in BMI from childhood to adulthood, kg/m2* | 9.1 (4.6) | 7.6 (4.4) | <0.001 |
| Hypertension, % | 60.2 | 30.8 | <0.001 |
| Metabolic syndrome, % | 33.6 | 18.5 | <0.001 |
| Hyperglycemia or diabetes, % | 30.3 | 13.4 | <0.001 |
| Raised triglycerides, % | 34.2 | 14.5 | <0.001 |
| Reduced HDL cholesterol, % | 11.7 | 9.1 | 0.379 |
| Elevated high-sensitivity CRP, % | 15.2 | 13.4 | 0.610 |
| Low physical activity, % | 25.5 | 26.4 | 0.724 |
| Risky alcohol consumption, % | 22.9 | 5.8 | <0.001 |
| Daily smoking, % | 41.6 | 22.9 | <0.001 |
| Family history of obesity, % | 45.9 | 45.5 | 0.502 |
*Mean and standard deviation; **median and interquartile range.
Abbreviations: BMI body mass index, HDL high density lipoprotein, CRP C-reactive protein.