Table 1.
Characteristics of study participants with relevant data from the MRC NSHD, 1946‐2015
| Males, n = 1285 [n (%)] | Females, n = 1241 [n (%)] | |
|---|---|---|
| Age at standing alone in months | ||
| ≤8 | 68 (5.3) | 74 (6.0) |
| 9‐14 | 1109 (86.3) | 1087 (87.6) |
| ≥15 | 108 (8.4) | 80 (6.5) |
| Age at walking several steps unsupported in months | ||
| ≤10 | 101 (7.9) | 103 (8.3) |
| 11‐17 | 1081 (84.1) | 1063 (85.7) |
| ≥18 | 103 (8.0) | 75 (6.0) |
| Ability in school games age 13 y | ||
| Above average | 251 (19.5) | 233 (18.8) |
| Below average or average | 1034 (80.5) | 1008 (81.2) |
| Number of taps in 15 s at age 15 y (in multiples of 10)a | ||
| Finger‐taps | 5.8 (1.9) | 5.5 (1.7) |
| Foot‐taps | 5.1 (1.7) | 5.0 (1.5) |
| Leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) across adulthood: from ages 36 to 68 y | ||
| LTPA age 36 | ||
| None | 346 (30.2) | 481 (42.6) |
| Moderate | 306 (26.7) | 277 (24.5) |
| Regular | 495 (43.2) | 371 (32.9) |
| LTPA age 43 | ||
| None | 548 (48.7) | 623 (57.0) |
| Moderate | 269 (23.9) | 245 (22.4) |
| Regular | 308 (27.4) | 225 (20.6) |
| LTPA age 53 | ||
| None | 478 (47.6) | 525 (50.2) |
| Moderate | 190 (18.9) | 176 (16.8) |
| Regular | 336 (33.5) | 344 (32.9) |
| LTPA age 60‐64 | ||
| None | 498 (66.2) | 494 (62.2) |
| Moderate | 94 (12.5) | 115 (14.5) |
| Regular | 160 (21.3) | 185 (23.3) |
| LTPA age 68 | ||
| None | 485 (60.1) | 520 (59.8) |
| Moderate | 87 (10.8) | 116 (13.3) |
| Regular | 235 (29.1) | 234 (26.9) |
| Birthweight (kg) | ||
| ≤2.50 | 44 (3.4) | 64 (5.2) |
| 2.51‐3.00 | 177 (13.8) | 241 (19.4) |
| 3.01‐3.50 | 429 (33.4) | 470 (37.9) |
| 3.51‐4.00 | 463 (36.0) | 381 (30.7) |
| >4.00 | 172 (13.4) | 85 (6.9) |
| Birth order | ||
| First‐born | 540 (42.0) | 505 (40.7) |
| Second‐born | 416 (32.4) | 406 (32.7) |
| Third or later born | 329 (25.6) | 330 (26.6) |
| Serious childhood illness before age 5 | ||
| No | 1197 (93.2) | 1178 (94.9) |
| Yes | 88 (6.9) | 63 (5.1) |
| Father's occupational class age 4 | ||
| I andII: professional/managerial/technical | 286 (22.3) | 268 (21.6) |
| IIINM: skilled non‐manual | 238 (18.5) | 239 (19.3) |
| IIIM: skilled manual | 401 (31.2) | 377 (30.4) |
| IV andV: partly skilled or unskilled | 360 (28.0) | 357 (28.8) |
MRC NSHD: Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development.
a
Data for tapping speed shows mean and standard deviation. Moderate LTPA: 1‐4 times/mo. Regular LTPA: ≥5 times/mo.