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. 2016 Oct 21;113(42):712–719. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2016.0712

eTable 4. Comparison of weighted and age-standardized prevalences and means*1.

Eastern Germany Western Germany
Survey period p-value Survey period p-value
1990–1992 1997–1999 2008–2011 p*2 1990–1992 1997–1999 2008–2011 p*2
Health-related behavior and BMI
No exercise
(%, 95% CI)
53.9
[50.8; 57.0]
54.2
[51.3; 57.0]
35.2
[32.2; 38.4]
<0.0001* 45.7
[43.3; 48.0]
47.5
[45.0; 50.0]
33.9
[32.0; 36.0]
<0.0001*
Smoking
(%, 95% CI)
28.2
[26.4; 30.1]
32.5
[29.7; 35.5]
33.5
[30.7; 36.3]
0.0026* 33.4
[31.6; 35.2]
33.2
[31.2; 35.3]
31.6
[29.4; 33.8]
0.3247
BMI ≥ 30
(%, 95% CI)
24.9
[22.4; 27.7]
25.3
[22.2; 28.7]
24.5
[21.0; 28.4]
0.9431 19.4
[18.0; 20.9]
22.0
[20.1; 24.0]
23.6
[27.8; 25.5]
0.0024*
Blood pressure
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg
(mean, 95% CI)
140.0
[138.2; 141.7]
131.7
[130.4; 133.0]
125.9
[124.7; 127.2]
<0.0001* 133.8
[133.0; 134.6]
128.7
[127.9; 129.4]
123.8
[123.1; 124.4]
<0.0001*
Self-reported hypertension
(%, 95% CI)
30.5
[28.1; 32.9]
27.1
[24.5; 29.8]
36.9
[34.4; 39.5]
<0.0001* 24.8
[23.5; 26.0]
21.3
[19.9; 22.8]
30.4
[28.8; 32.0]
<0.0001*
Use of antihyper-tensive drugs
(%, 95% CI)
21.2
[19.6; 22.9]
21.7
[19.5; 24.0]
26.4
[23.9; 29.1]
0.0010* 14.8
[13.8; 15.9]
15.2
[13.8; 16.6]
20.6
[19.2; 22.0]
<0.0001*
Cholesterol
Total cholesterol,mmol/L
(mean, 95% CI)
6.24
[6.16; 6.31]
6.16
[6.10; 6.23]
5.40
[5.28; 5.52]
<0.0001* 6.16
[6.12; 6.21]
6.11
[6.06; 6.16]
5.30
[5.23; 5.36]
<0.0001*
Self-reported hyperlipidemia
(%, 95% CI)
9.51
[7.89; 11.3]
18.6
[16.5; 20.7]
22.1
[19.6; 24.8]
<0.0001* 28.7
[27.2; 30.3]
26.3
[24.6; 28.1]
27.9
[26.4; 29.3]
0.1023
Use of lipid-lowering drugs
(%, 95% CI)
2.82
[2.12; 3.75]
6.19
[5.17; 7.39]
9.20
[7.81; 10.8]
<0.0001* 4.86
[4.24; 5.56]
4.62
[3.94; 5.41]
7.61
[6.68; 8.66]
<0.0001*
Blood sugar
Ser. glucose, mmol/L
(mean, 95% CI)
5.83
[5.72; 5.94]
5.66
[5.55; 5.77]
5.18
[5.08; 5.27]
<0.0001* 5.47
[5.42; 5.52]
5.51
[5.45; 5.58]
5.16
[5.09; 5.22]
<0.0001*
Self-reported diabetes
(%, 95% CI)
5.33
[4.44; 6.38]
6.00
[4.92; 7.29]
6.22
[4.97; 7.76]
0.5369 5.08
[4.46; 5.78]
4.31
[3.63; 5.11]
5.88
[5.06; 6.82]
0.0278*
Use of antidiabetic drugs
(%, 95% CI)
3.46
[2.68; 4.44]
4.51
[3.59; 5.65]
3.94
[2.94; 5.26]
0.2986 2.15
[1.73; 2.66]
2.69
[2.13; 3.40]
3.34
[2.69; 4.13]
0.0152*

BMI, body-mass index; CI, confidence interval; OW91, East/West Health Survey (Germany) 1991; BGS98, German National Health Interview and Examination 1998; DEGS1, German Health

Interview and Examination Survey for Adults 2008–2011

Significance level for p-values: * p<0.05

*1 of: lack of exercise, smoking behavior, obesity, high blood pressure, total cholesterol, serum glucose, use of antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and antidiabetic drugs, and self-reported hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes; comparison of secular trends in the survey periods of the OW91, BGS98, and DEGS1 in eastern vs. western Germany; the subjects were men and women aged 25–69

*2 Test for difference