Table 1.
Characteristics of the cohort stratified by sex
| Women without CVD at baseline | Men without CVD at baseline | |
|---|---|---|
| N | 171 285 | 125 250 |
| Age (years) | 55.2 ± 8.0 | 55.1 ± 8.2 |
| BMI (kg m−2) | 26.3 ± 4.7 | 27.1 ± 3.8 |
| Missing values, n (%) | 534 (0.3) | 451 (0.4) |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 81.0 (74.0–89.0) | 94.0 (88.0–101.0) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 393 (0.2) | 338 (0.3) |
| Hip circumference (cm) | 101.0 (96.0–107.0) | 102.0 (98.0–106.0) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 397 (0.2) | 355 (0.3) |
| Waist-to-hip ratio | 0.81 ± 0.07 | 0.92 ± 0.06 |
| Missing values, n (%) | 409 (0.2) | 361 (0.3) |
| Waist-to-height ratio | 0.51 ± 0.07 | 0.54 ± 0.06 |
| Missing values, n (%) | 457 (0.3) | 406 (0.3) |
| Body fat mass (%) | 36.0 (31.0–40.0) | 24.0 (21.0–28.0) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 2269 (1.3) | 1737 (1.4) |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||
| Current | 15 562 (9.1) | 15 693 (12.5) |
| Ex | 53 210 (31.1) | 43 047 (34.4) |
| Never | 102 019 (59.6) | 66 146 (52.8) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 494 (0.3) | 364 (0.3) |
| Alcohol intake, n (%) | ||
| Daily | 29 436 (17.2) | 31 952 (25.5) |
| Three to four times a week | 38 844 (22.7) | 34 776 (27.7) |
| Once or twice a week | 46 380 (27.1) | 33 893 (27.1) |
| One to three times a month | 22 545 (13.2) | 11 282 (9.0) |
| Special occasions | 22 030 (12.9) | 7757 (6.2) |
| Never | 11 960 (7.0) | 5514 (4.4) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 90 (0.1) | 76 (0.1) |
| Qualifications, n (%) | ||
| Higher degree | 58 292 (34.0) | 46 339 (37.0) |
| Any school degree | 71 209 (41.6) | 45 094 (36.0) |
| Vocational degrees | 6911 (4.0) | 10 577 (8.4) |
| Other qualifications | 9052 (5.3) | 4997 (4.0) |
| None of the above | 24 524 (14.3) | 17 316 (13.8) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 1297 (0.8) | 927 (0.7) |
| Townsend quintiles, n (%) | ||
| 1 | 36 710 (21.4) | 27 367 (21.9) |
| 2 | 36 059 (21.1) | 26 392 (21.1) |
| 3 | 35 566 (20.8) | 25 579 (20.4) |
| 4 | 34 102 (19.9) | 24 308 (19.4) |
| 5 | 28 649 (16.7) | 21 448 (17.1) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 199 (0.1) | 156 (0.1) |
| MVPA (min day−1) | 50 (10–90) | 60 (20–110) |
| History of diabetes, n (%) | 2605 (1.5) | 3176 (2.5) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 209 (0.1) | 242 (0.2) |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 130 (119–143) | 137 (127–148) |
| Missing values, n (%) | 270 (0.2) | 146 (0.1) |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | 34 818 (20.3) | 18 592 (14.8) |
| CVD events (n) | 5667 | 7187 |
| IHD | 1148 | 2599 |
| Cerebrovascular | 573 | 697 |
Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation or median (interquartile range) unless stated otherwise.
BMI, body mass index; CVD, cardiovascular disease; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; MVPA, moderate to vigorous physical activity.