Table 1 Characteristics of the study population by tertiles of MET-hours* per week (MET- h/wk)

Mean ± SD

Age (years)

41.6 ± 9.3

41.5 ± 8.3

42.9 ± 9.2

40.2 ± 10.3

Physical activity (METs/week)

6.8 ± 7.2

0.9 ± 0.7

5.2 ± 1.7

15.5 ± 6.7

Body-mass index (kg/m ² )

26.8 ± 7.2

27.4 ± 4.8

27.3 ± 5.0

26.7 ± 4.6

Percentages

Age categories (years)

 - <30

11

8

9

17

 - 30 – 39

28

31

27

26

 - 40 – 49

40

42

41

37

 - ≥ 50

21

19

23

20

Sex

 - Male

60

63

52

66

 - Female

40

37

48

34

Body-mass index

 - Normal weight

36

33

38

37

 - Overweight

38

40

36

39

 - Obese

26

27

26

24

Religion

 - Christianity

80

71

85

84

 - Islam

20

29

15

16

Marital status

 - Married

77

83

76

71

 - Not married

23

17

24

29

Education

 - None

0.4

0

1

0

 - Primary (Elementary school)

0.6

2

0

0

 - Secondary (High school)

22

16

24

25

 - ≥ Tertiary (College)

77

82

75

75

Occupation

 - Self-employed

3

3

2

2

 - Unskilled manual

7

9

6

6

 - Skilled manual

40

38

42

41

 - Professional/executive

50

50

50

51

Socio-economic status

 - Low

40

37

41

41

 - Middle

40

39

41

41

 - High

20

24

18

18

Smoking

 - Non-smoker

96

97

98

95

 - Current smoker

4

3

2

5

Alcohol

 - None

65

71

67

57

 - 1 unit/day

12

9

13

15

 - 2–5 units/day

21

17

19

25

 - 5+ units/day

2

3

1

3