TABLE 1.
Participant characteristics of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition–Norfolk cohort population stratified by sex for the dietary vitamin C and the plasma vitamin C group1
| Dietary vitamin C (n = 14,339) | Plasma vitamin C (n = 13,065) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | Men (n = 6350) | Women (n = 7989) | Men (n = 5853) | Women (n = 7212) |
| Age, y | 62.9 ± 9.03 | 61.5 ± 9.04 | 62.9 ± 8.98 | 61.5 ± 9.01 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 26.7 ± 3.05 | 26.1 ± 3.73 | 26.7 ± 3.02 | 26.1 ± 3.70 |
| Weight, kg | 80.9 ± 10.8 | 67.7 ± 10.4 | 80.9 ± 10.7 | 67.6 ± 10.4 |
| Height, cm | 174 ± 6.61 | 161 ± 6.12 | 174 ± 6.60 | 161 ± 6.13 |
| FFM% | 76.7 ± 5.78 | 60.9 ± 8.25 | 76.7 ± 5.74 | 61.0 ± 8.20 |
| FFMBMI, kg/m2 | 2.33 ± 0.257 | 1.58 ± 0.259 | 2.33 ± 0.256 | 1.59 ± 0.258 |
| Vitamin C intake, mg/d | 89.8 ± 50.7 | 93.7 ± 50.1 | 89.9 ± 50.5 | 94.0 ± 50.3 |
| Plasma vitamin C, μmol/L | — | — | 56.9 ± 21.3 | 68.9 ± 24.5 |
| Protein, g/d | 83.4 ± 17.6 | 66.2 ± 13.7 | 83.5 ± 17.6 | 66.3 ± 13.7 |
| Protein, % energy | 14.8 ± 2.40 | 15.5 ± 2.77 | 14.8 ± 2.39 | 15.5 ± 2.78 |
| Energy intake, kcal/d | 2286 ± 500 | 1735 ± 378 | 2289 ± 501 | 1736 ± 379 |
| Smoking | ||||
| Current | 8.54 (542) | 8.71 (696) | 8.46 (495) | 8.72 (629) |
| Former | 55.5 (3524) | 31.9 (2551) | 55.6 (3254) | 32.1 (2312) |
| Never | 34.0 (2284) | 59.4 (4742) | 35.9 (2104) | 59.2 (4271) |
| Physical activity | ||||
| Inactive | 27.3 (1736) | 25.9 (2070) | 26.8 (1566) | 25.4 (1829) |
| Moderately inactive | 25.1 (1595) | 32.5 (2600) | 24.9 (1458) | 32.9 (2374) |
| Moderately active | 25.0 (1590) | 24.2 (1933) | 25.4 (1485) | 24.1 (1737) |
| Active | 22.5 (1429) | 17.3 (1386) | 23.0 (1344) | 17.6 (1272) |
| Corticosteroid use | ||||
| Current | 4.16 (264) | 5.09 (407) | 4.05 (237) | 5.06 (365) |
| Menopausal status | ||||
| Premenopausal | — | 5.95 (475) | — | 5.92 (427) |
| Perimenopausal <1 y | — | 3.33 (266) | — | 3.30 (238) |
| Perimenopausal 1–5 y | — | 17.5 (1399) | — | 17.4 (1256) |
| Postmenopausal >5 y | — | 73.2 (5849) | — | 73.4 (5291) |
| HRT use | ||||
| Current | — | 21.3 (1704) | — | 21.4 (1543) |
| Former | — | 17.9 (1431) | — | 17.9 (1288) |
| Never | — | 60.8 (4854) | — | 60.8 (4381) |
| Statins use | ||||
| Yes | 5.46 (347) | 3.63 (290) | 5.43 (318) | 3.56 (257) |
| Days participant filled in diary, n | 6.75 ± 1.16 | 6.81 ± 1.01 | 6.75 ± 1.15 | 6.81 ± 1.01 |
| Vitamin C supplementation | ||||
| Yes | 34.5 (695) | 39.8 (1425) | 34.1 (633) | 39.8 (1281) |
| Social class | ||||
| Professional | 8.24 (523) | 6.83 (546) | 8.18 (479) | 6.74 (486) |
| Managerial | 40.7 (2587) | 36.9 (2950) | 40.9 (2395) | 37.0 (2668) |
| Skilled nonmanual | 12.6 (797) | 19.4 (1554) | 12.4 (723) | 19.6 (1413) |
| Skilled manual | 22.4 (1422) | 19.7 (1577) | 22.4 (1312) | 19.8 (1426) |
| Semiskilled | 12.5 (781) | 11.9 (950) | 12.4 (727) | 11.9 (855) |
| Nonskilled | 2.35 (149) | 3.34 (267) | 2.27 (133) | 3.24 (234) |
1
Values are means ± SDs or % (n). Differences between men and women for all characteristics had P values < 0.01, according to t test for continuous or chi-square test for categorical variables. FFMBMI, fat-free mass standardized by BMI; FFM%, fat-free mass percentage; HRT, hormone replacement therapy.