Skip to main content

Table 2 Socioeconomic and anthropometric characteristics of the study population by sex (n = 1,656)

From: Parental socioeconomic position and development of overweight in adolescence: longitudinal study of Danish adolescents

Baseline characteristics, 1996-97

Girls, n = 1,025

Boys, n = 631

p-value, χ2/t-test

Mean age (SD*)

14.8 (0.5)

14.8 (0.6)

 

Average weight (SD)

58.4 kg (9.7 kg)

62.7 kg (10.8 kg)

< 0.0001

Mean height (SD)

165.7 cm (6.1 cm)

174.2 cm (7.6 cm)

 

Crude mean BMI (SD) (weight in kg/(height in meters2))

21.3 (3.2)

20.6 (2.7)

< 0.0001

Age adjusted BMI according to IOTF criteria**

   

< 25

84.5% (866)

84.9% (536)

0.16

25 ≤ BMI< 30

12.4% (127)

13.5% (85)

 

≥30

3.0% (31)

1.6% (10)

 

Socioeconomic position, highest of the household

   

Unemployed

5.9% (60)

5.4% (34)

0.73

Non-skilled manual worker

7.7% (79)

7.3% (46)

 

Under education

1.5% (15)

1.0% (6)

 

Skilled manual worker

9.9% (101)

8.9% (56)

 

White-collar group 3

19.9% (204)

17.9% (113)

 

White-collar group 2

26.1% (267)

26.3% (166)

 

White-collar group 1

17.7% (181)

20.3% (128)

 

Self-employed

11.5% (118)

13.0% (82)

 

Total

100% 1025

100% 631

 

Follow-up characteristics, 2003

Girls, n = 1,025

Boys, n = 631

 

Mean age (SD)

21.2 (0.7)

21.3 (0.7)

 

Average weight (SD)

64.8 kg (11.0 kg)

78.7 kg (11.5 kg)

< 0.0001

Mean height (SD)

169.0 cm (6.2 cm)

182.6 cm (6.7 cm)

< 0.0001

Crude mean BMI (SD) (weight in kg/(height in meters2))

22.7 (3.6)***

23.6 (3.0)***

< 0.0001

BMI cut points

   

< 25

80.5% (825)

75.6% (477)

0.02

25 ≤ BMI< 30

15.1% (155)

20.4% (129)

 

≥30

4.4% (45)

4.0% (25)

 

Individuals becoming overweight at follow-up**

   

Yes, moved from BMI < 25 to BMI ≥25

11.2% (97)

17.0% (91)

0.002

No

88.8% (769)

83.0% (445)

 

Individuals becoming normal weight at follow-up

   

Yes, moved from BMI ≥25* to BMI < 25

35.2% (56)

33.7% (32)

0.80

No

64.8% (103)

66.3% (63)

 
  1. *Standard deviation
  2. **BMI cut points at baseline according to IOTF criteria[33]
  3. *** Difference from baseline crude mean BMI p < 0.0001.