Table 2 Descriptive characteristics of 10 141 men from the EPIC-Norfolk cohort by social class.

N = 10 141

787

3875

1260

2559

1362

298

Age (years)

57.8 ± 9.4

58.0 ± 9.3

59.5 ± 9.4

58.3 ± 9.2

59.1 ± 8.8

59.5 ± 8.7

< 0.001

Body mass index (kg/m²)

26.1 ± 3.2

26.5 ± 3.3

26.5 ± 3.3

26.5 ± 3.3

26.6 ± 3.4

26.6 ± 3.5

0.010

Cigarette smoking habit

   Never

49.4 (386)

38.2 (1473)

33.2 (415)

28.7 (729)

29.2 (394)

26.9 (80)

< 0.001

   Former

45.3 (354)

51.6 (1991)

56.8 (699)

55.8 (1416)

54.6 (738)

52.5 (156)

   Current

5.3 (41)

10.2 (395)

11.0 (138)

15.6 (395)

16.2 (219)

20.5 (61)

Finished school

96.9 (763)

82.0 (3176)

72.3 (911)

60.1 (1539)

49.1 (668)

34.9 (104)

< 0.001

Self-rated Health

   Excellent

27.1 (213)

22.4 (868)

17.7 (223)

13.0 (332)

13.8 (188)

13.4 (40)

< 0.001

   Good

62.4 (491)

63.9 (2474)

66.0 (832)

64.7 (1656)

62.0 (845)

60.4 (180)

   Moderate

10.0 (79)

12.8 (497)

14.4 (182)

20.5 (524)

22.4 (305)

23.2 (69)

   Poor

0.5 (4)

0.9 (36)

1.8 (23)

1.8 (47)

1.8 (24)

3.0 (9)

Units of alcohol per week

   0

7.5 (59)

6.9 (266)

8.9 (112)

10.8 (276)

14.7 (200)

15.8 (47)

< 0.001

   1–13.9

60.1 (473)

60.3 (2338)

67.1 (845)

67.6 (1731)

63.1 (860)

62.1 (185)

   ≥ 14

32.4 (255)

32.8 (1271)

24.1 (303)

21.6 (552)

22.2 (302)

22.2 (66)

Physical activity

   Inactive

27.8 (219)

30.0 (1164)

36.9 (465)

25.9 (663)

27.4 (373)

27.5 (82)

< 0.001

   Moderately inactive

37.7 (297)

29.8 (1156)

29.5 (372)

16.3 (416)

16.5 (225)

13.1 (39)

   Moderately active

20.3 (160)

22.0 (852)

18.3 (231)

26.3 (673)

26.7 (363)

29.5 (88)

   Active

14.1 (111)

18.1 (703)

15.2 (192)

31.5 (806)

29.4 (401)

29.9 (89)