Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of 2961 MOST participants

Mean age at baseline in years (+/− s.d.)	62.5 ± 8.08
Mean body mass index (Kg/m2) (+/− s.d.)	30.5 ± 5.65
Mean Charlson comorbidity score, modified (+/−s.d.)	0.52 ± 0.96
Mean CES-D Score * (+/− s.d.)	7.59 ± 7.80
Mean PASE Score** (+/− s.d.)	174.6 ± 88.0
Never smokers	1646 (55.6%)
Current smokers	194 (6.5%)
Former smokers	1121 (37.9%)
Caucasians	2481 (83.8%)
Number with some college education or above	1306 (44.1%)
Mean WOMAC Pain Score (0–20) (+/− s.d.)	3.38 ± 3.75
Number with widespread pain (%)	1486 (50.7%)
Mean number of painful sites (+/−s.d.)	5.95 ± 4.58
Study site: Iowa	1506 (50.9%)
Mean total body fat (%) (+/− s.d.)	34.4 ± 8.53
Mean abdominal visceral adipose tissue (cm2) (+/− s.d.)	165.7 ± 72.0
Mean abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (cm2) (+/− s.d.)	373.2 ± 135.1

^*CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

^**PASE: Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly