Table 1 Distribution of social and demographic characteristics in the analytical sample, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing 2002-2008

Age

<60

1,603 (22.9)

7.7

616

10.7

987

5.9

61-70

2,526 (36.0)

12.3

1,153

14.2

1,373

10.7

71+

2,886 (41.1)

15.6

1,225

17.4

1,661

14.3

Childhood social position

Non-manual father’s occupation

2,223 (31.7)

9.9

905

13.2

1,318

7.6

Manual father’s occupation

4,350 (62.1)

13.9

1,914

15.8

2,436

12.5

Not available

442 (6.3)

175

267

Current social position

Professional

409 (5.8)

8.1

315

8.9

94

5.3

Managerial technical

2,126 (30.3)

10.4

1,040

12.8

1,086

8.0

Skilled

2,935 (41.8)

13.0

1,145

16.8

1,790

10.6

Semi-skilled manual

999 (14.2)

14.9

341

17.6

658

13.5

Unskilled

427 (6.1)

18.7

128

21.1

299

17.7

Not available

119 (1.7)

25

94

High waist circumference (cm)

>102 cm (M)

3,371 (48.1)

17.1

1.305

19.3

2,066

15.7

>88 cm (F)

<102 cm (M)

2,422 (34.6)

6.7

1,217

9.5

1,205

3.9

<88 cm (F)

Not available

1,222 (17.4)

472

750

Physical activity

Yes

1,699 (24.2)

6.8

820

7.9

879

5.7

No

5,313 (75.7)

14.5

2,173

17.4

3,140

12.5

Not available

3 (0.04)

1

2

Smoking

Yes

4,336 (61.8)

13.8

2,123

16.1

2,204

11.4

No

2,671 (38.1)

10.8

859

11.5

1,812

10.5

Not available

8 (0.1)

3

5

C-reactive protein

Yes

165 (2.4)

18.2

63

22.2

102

15.7

(>15 mg/l)

No

4,136 (59)

11.8

1,795

13.4

2,341

10.6

Not available

2,714 (38.7)

1,136

1.578

Fibrinogen

Yes (>3.00 g/l)

3,040 (43.3)

12.9

1,224

15.0

1,816

11.4

No

1,143 (16.3)

9.8

582

10.0

561

9.6

Not available

2,832 (40.4)

1,188

1,644