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Table 2 Baseline characteristics of the study population in EPIC, by body mass index categories

From: Body mass index and cancer risk among adults with and without cardiometabolic diseases: evidence from the EPIC and UK Biobank prospective cohort studies

 

Under- and normal weight a

n = 102,010 (44%)

Overweighta

n = 94,878 (41%)

Obesitya

n = 36,361 (15%)

Overalla

(n = 233,249)

Sex, n (%)

 Female

72,403 (71)

49,775 (52)

22,407 (62)

144,585 (62)

Age at assessment (years)

 Median (IQR)

51.5 [43.4, 57.3]

53.5 [47.5, 59.1]

53.7 [48.1, 59.4]

52.6 [46.0, 58.4]

Follow-up (years)

 Median (IQR)

10.6 [9.4, 11.8]

10.8 [9.5, 12.3]

11.2 [9.6, 12.8]

10.9 [9.4, 12.2]

Height (cm)

 Median (IQR)

166 [160, 173]

167 [160, 174]

164 [157, 171]

166 [160, 173]

Qualifications, n (%)

 Longer education (incl. University deg.)

26,186 (26)

17,582 (19)

4,246 (12)

48,014 (21)

 Secondary school

17,760 (17)

11,628 (12)

3,296 (9.1)

32,684 (14)

 Technical/professional school

30,084 (30)

25,326 (27)

8,361 (23)

63,771 (27)

 Primary school completed

24,634 (24)

33,244 (35)

14,813 (41)

72,691 (31)

 None

1,581 (1.5)

5,741 (6.1)

5,202 (14)

12,524 (5.4)

 Not specified

1,765 (1.7)

1,357 (1.4)

443 (1.2)

3,565 (1.5)

Smoking status, n (%)

 Never

45,506 (45)

41,317 (44)

17,935 (49)

104,758 (45)

 Previous

27,250 (27)

29,668 (31)

10,492 (29)

67,410 (29)

 Current

29,254 (28)

23,893 (25)

7,934 (22)

61,081 (26)

Alcohol consumption (g/day)

 Median (IQR)

7.6 [1.5, 18.8]

8.7 [1.4, 23.5]

5.0 [0.4, 18.1]

7.6 [1.2, 20.5]

Alcohol consumers status

 Regular consumers

91,313 (90)

82,363 (87)

28,877 (79)

202,553 (87)

 Non-consumers

10,697 (10)

12,515 (13)

7,484 (21)

30,696 (13)

Mediterranean diet score, n (%)b

 5—=  < 6

1,975 (1.9)

2,330 (2.5)

1,005 (2.8)

5,310 (2.3)

 4—< 5

15,669 (15)

16,074 (17)

6,680 (18)

38,423 (17)

 3—< 4

34,108 (33)

30,866 (32)

12,082 (33)

77,056 (33)

 2—< 3

34,263 (34)

30,200 (32)

10,741 (30)

75,204 (32)

 1—< 2

14,501 (14)

13,932 (15)

5,207 (14)

33,640 (14)

 0—< 1

1,494 (1.5)

1,476 (1.6)

646 (1.8)

3,616 (1.7)

Physical activity, n (%)

 Active

25,537 (25)

21,750 (23)

6,597 (18)

53,884 (23)

 Moderately active

24,712 (24)

20,990 (22)

6,960 (19)

52,662 (23)

 Moderately inactive

34,559 (34)

31,136 (33)

11,590 (32)

77,285 (33)

 Inactive

17,202 (17)

21,002 (22)

11,214 (31)

49,418 (21)

Ever use HRT, n (%)c

 No

19,874 (89)

41,835 (84)

60,159 (83)

121,868 (84)

 Yes

2,533 (11)

7,940 (16)

12,244 (17)

22,717 (16)

Menopause status, n (%)c

 Premenopausal

6,043 (27)

14,340 (29)

29,669 (41)

50,052 (35)

 Postmenopausal

11,781 (53)

25,958 (52)

30,700 (42)

68,439 (47)

 Perimenopause

3,364 (15)

7,199 (14)

10,031 (14)

20,594 (14)

 Surgical menopause

1,219 (5.4)

2,278 (4.6)

2,003 (2.8)

5,500 (3.8)

Country of recruitment

 Denmark

22,953 (23)

21,621 (23)

7,267 (20)

51,841 (22)

 Germany

19,505 (19)

17,548 (19)

6,685 (18)

43,738 (19)

 Italy

20,095 (20)

17,528 (18)

5,955 (16)

43,578 (19)

 Spain

8,180 (8.0)

17,411 (18)

10,361 (29)

35,952 (15)

 The Netherlands

15,521 (15)

10,070 (11)

3,026 (8.3)

28,617 (12)

 United Kingdom

15,756 (15)

10,700 (11)

3,067 (8.4)

29,523 (13)

  1. Notes: more information on covariates is given in Supplementary Table S2
  2. Abbreviations: EPIC European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition, IQR Interquartile range, HRT Hormone replacement therapy
  3. aFollowing WHO categorisation of body mass index (BMI), Underweight [BMI < 18.5 kg/m2], Normal weight [BMI ≥ 18.5 and < 25 kg/m2], Overweight [BMI ≥ 25 and < 30 kg/m2], Obesity [BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2]
  4. bThe score is from the healthier (6 to 0)—18-point score which was combined in a 6-point score
  5. cOnly for women
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BMC Medicine

ISSN: 1741-7015

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