Table 1 Characteristics by birth rank in 18,958 older Chinese in phases 2 and 3 of the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (2005-8)
| Â | Â | Men | Â | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Â | Birth rank | Â | |||
| Â | Â | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4+ | p value |
N | Â | 1,448 | 1,141 | 903 | 1,559 | Â |
Age (years) | Mean and (SD) | 62.9 (7.0) | 63.0 (7.0) | 63.2 (7.0) | 63.3 (7.0) | 0.98 |
Height (cm) | Mean and (SD) | 164.4 (6.2) | 164.6 (5.8) | 164.8 (5.8) | 164.6 (5.9) | 0.03 |
Leg length (cm) | Mean and (SD) | 75.5 (4.2) | 75.6 (3.8) | 75.7 (4.0) | 75.6 (3.9) | <0.001 |
Seated height (cm) | Mean and (SD) | 88.9 (3.6) | 88.9 (3.4) | 89.0 (3.2) | 88.9 (3.3) | 0.003 |
Parental possessions | None | 62.1 | 63.8 | 66.0 | 68.3 | 0.004 |
(Bicycle, watch | 1 or 2 | 16.6 | 18.4 | 16.2 | 15.2 | Â |
and sewing machine) | All 3 | 19.6 | 16.3 | 16.6 | 14.4 | Â |
| Â | Unknown | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 2.1 | Â |
Education | <Primary | 3.0 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.89 |
| Â | Primary | 26.7 | 26.6 | 24.8 | 25.9 | Â |
| Â | Junior middle | 29.8 | 29.8 | 29.6 | 31.2 | Â |
| Â | Senior middle | 25.1 | 24.3 | 25.9 | 24.6 | Â |
| Â | Junior college | 9.3 | 9.8 | 10.1 | 10.1 | Â |
| Â | College | 6.0 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 6.0 | Â |
Job type‡ | Manual | 39.5 | 36.8 | 36.3 | 39.0 | 0.13 |
| Â | Non-manual | 29.5 | 34.7 | 33.2 | 32.0 | Â |
| Â | Other | 31.0 | 28.5 | 30.5 | 29.0 | Â |
Smoking status | Ever | 61.9 | 61.3 | 61.5 | 61.1 | 0.97 |
Alcohol use | Never | 46.4 | 48.6 | 51.0 | 46.6 | 0.20 |
| Â | <1/week | 28.1 | 28.1 | 27.3 | 30.3 | Â |
| Â | 1-4/week | 6.6 | 7.8 | 6.5 | 6.5 | Â |
| Â | 5+/week | 12.2 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 11.5 | Â |
| Â | Ex-drinker | 6.8 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 5.1 | Â |
Physical activity | Inactive | 12.6 | 12.9 | 13.7 | 11.5 | 0.69 |
(IPAQ) †| Minimally active | 47.7 | 46.5 | 48.1 | 47.7 |  |
| Â | HEPA active | 39.8 | 40.6 | 38.2 | 40.8 | Â |
Offspring (number) | Mean and (SD) | 2.3 (1.4) | 2.3(1.4) | 2.3 (1.3) | 2.2 (1.3) | 0.002 |
Cardiovascular risk factors | SBP (mmHg) | 132.6 (21.0) | 131.4 (20.8) | 132.3 (21.6) | 131.1 (21.2) | 0.67 |
Mean and (SD) ¢ | DBP (mmHg) | 76.3 (11.3) | 75.8 (11.4) | 76.0 (11.1) | 74.6 (10.8) | 0.21 |
| Â | FBG (mmol/L) | 5.6 (1.7) | 5.6 (1.7) | 5.5 (1.3) | 5.6 (1.5) | <0.001 |
| Â | TG (mmol/L) | 1.8 (1.4) | 1.6 (1.2) | 1.7 (1.4) | 1.7 (1.4) | <0.001 |
| Â | TC (mmol/L) | 5.6 (1.1) | 5.6 (1.0) | 5.6 (1.1) | 5.6 (1.1) | 0.36 |
| Â | HDL-C (mmol/L) | 1.5 (0.4) | 1.5 (0.4) | 1.5 (0.4) | 1.5 (0.4) | 0.05 |
| Â | WHR | 0.9 (0.06) | 0.9 (0.06) | 0.9 (0.06) | 0.9 (0.07) | 0.01 |
| Â | BMI (kg/m2) | 23.6 (3.3) | 23.5 (3.1) | 23.4 (3.3) | 23.5 (3.2) | 0.03 |
| Â | Â | Women | Â | |||
| Â | Â | Â | Birth rank | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4+ | p value |
N | Â | 3,961 | 3,074 | 2,375 | 4,497 | Â |
Age (years) | Mean and (SD) | 59.8 (7.0) | 59.4 (7.1) | 59.1 (7.1) | 59.1 (7.1) | 0.84 |
Height (cm) | Mean and (SD) | 154.1 (5.6) | 154.2 (5.4) | 154.2 (5.3) | 153.9 (5.4) | 0.03 |
Leg length (cm) | Mean and (SD) | 70.2 (3.7) | 70.1 (3.7) | 70.2 (3.5) | 70.0 (3.8) | 0.002 |
Seated height (cm) | Mean and (SD) | 83.9 (3.4) | 84.0 (3.3) | 84.0 (3.4) | 84.0 (3.4) | 0.47 |
Parental possessions | None | 53.3 | 55.2 | 56.9 | 58.6 | <0.001 |
(Bicycle, watch and sewing machine) | 1 or 2 | 20.1 | 20.2 | 19.8 | 19.3 | Â |
| Â | All 3 | 24.7 | 22.6 | 21.0 | 19.8 | Â |
| Â | Unknown | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.4 | Â |
Education | <Primary | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 9.3 | <0.001 |
| Â | Primary | 31.6 | 33.9 | 33.0 | 31.1 | Â |
| Â | Junior middle | 25.9 | 26.6 | 27.2 | 29.0 | Â |
| Â | Senior middle | 24.3 | 23.0 | 23.7 | 25.0 | Â |
| Â | Junior college | 5.9 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.4 | Â |
| Â | College | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 | Â |
Job type‡ | Manual | 42.6 | 43.7 | 44.3 | 41.2 | 0.10 |
| Â | Non-manual | 27.0 | 27.9 | 26.5 | 28.2 | Â |
| Â | Other | 30.4 | 28.3 | 29.2 | 30.6 | Â |
Smoking status | Ever | 3.2 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.04 |
Alcohol use | Never | 73.5 | 73.5 | 73.6 | 72.2 | 0.12 |
| Â | <1/week | 20.5 | 20.9 | 21.7 | 21.2 | Â |
| Â | 1-4/week | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.8 | Â |
| Â | 5+/week | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.69 | 1.7 | Â |
| Â | Ex-drinker | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 3.1 | Â |
Physical activity | Inactive | 11.5 | 11.0 | 12.4 | 11.9 | 0.007 |
(IPAQ) †| Minimally active | 44.3 | 42.2 | 42.0 | 40.3 |  |
| Â | HEPA active | 44.2 | 46.8 | 45.6 | 47.9 | Â |
Offspring (number) | Mean and (SD) | 2.3 (1.4) | 2.2 (1.4) | 2.2 (1.3) | 2.1 (1.3) | 0.29 |
Cardiovascular risk factors | SBP (mmHg) | 127.2 (22.1) | 127.2 (22.2) | 126.9 (21.4) | 125.9 (21.1) | 0.005 |
Mean and (SD) ¢ | DBP (mmHg) | 72.0 (10.9) | 72.1 (11.2) | 72.0 (10.7) | 71.2 (10.7) | 0.02 |
| Â | FBG (mmol/L) | 5.6 (1.6) | 5.6 (1.8) | 5.6 (1.5) | 5.6 (1.6) | <0.001 |
| Â | TG (mmol/L) | 1.7 (1.2) | 1.7 (1.3) | 1.7 (1.1) | 1.7 (1.4) | <0.001 |
| Â | TC (mmol/L) | 6.1 (1.1) | 6.1 (1.1) | 6.1 (1.1) | 6.1 (1.2) | 0.17 |
| Â | HDL-C (mmol/L) | 1.7 (0.4) | 1.7 (0.4) | 1.7 (0.4) | 1.7 (0.4) | 0.18 |
| Â | WHR | 0.9 (0.07) | 0.9 (0.06) | 0.8 (0.07) | 0.8 (0.07) | 0.07 |
| Â | BMI (kg/m2) | 23.9 (3.4) | 23.9 (3.4) | 23.9 (3.4) | 23.7 (3.3) | 0.18 |