Table 1 Sample characteristics by country (unweighted)

Mean (S.D.)

Mean (S.D.)

Mean (S.D.)

Mean (S.D.)

Age

58 (7.10)

58 (7.09)

57 (6.98)

61 (7.54)

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

139.36 (19.71)

142.74 (24.58)

138.38 (21.29)

139.81 (21.73)

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

88.85 (10.72)

89.97 (13.27)

86.33 (11.83)

89.54 (12.34)

Fasting plasma glucose (mmol/L)

5.93 (1.48)

6.01 (1.67)

5.38 (1.46)

5.83 (1.22)

Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

5.74 (1.05)

6.28 (1.27)

5.84 (1.10)

5.96 (1.14)

%

%

%

%

Gender

 Men

45.66

45.51

48.68

44.64

 Women

54.34

54.49

51.32

55.36

Marital status

 Married/Cohobating

76.53

72.30

76.93

69.49

 Single/Divorced/Separated

14.56

14.15

12.72

16.37

 Widowed

8.92

13.55

10.34

14.13

Education

 College education/above

13.79

28.81

29.04

55.88

 Secondary education

36.91

34.20

38.83

24.58

 Vocational education

37.15

26.53

20.80

7.07

 Primary education/below

12.16

10.46

11.33

12.47

Household amenities

 High level

36.12

15.39

33.09

40.61

 Middle level

39.84

33.03

40.82

38.60

 Low level

24.04

51.58

26.09

20.79

Smoking

 Non-smokers

44.49

58.21

40.76

63.46

 Ex-smokers

30.02

13.67

29.11

17.86

 Current smokers

25.49

28.12

30.13

18.68

Physical inactivity (vigorous activity < 2.5 h/week)

 No

86.20

93.40

89.92

94.50

 Yes

13.80

6.60

10.08

5.50

Obesity

 No

69.55

65.09

69.15

59.66

 Yes

30.45

34.91

30.85

40.34

Alcohol consumption

 None

11.75

15.95

33.60

47.86

  < 1/month

26.45

38.17

23.87

26.85

 1–3/month

20.61

21.29

20.06

19.49

 1–4/week

28.38

22.03

18.58

5.35

 5 + /week

12.81

2.56

3.89

0.45

Self-reported diagnosed high blood pressure

 No

54.91

40.72

46.67

40.37

 Yes

45.09

59.28

53.33

59.63

 If yes, taking medication for high blood pressure

79.96

54.12

71.23

67.10

Self-reported diagnosed diabetes

 No

89.05

94.72

88.69

92.58

 Yes

10.95

5.28

11.31

7.42

If yes, taking medication/insulin for diabetes

47.54

64.94

65.73

74.33

Self-reported diagnosed high cholesterol

 No

67.80

84.69

57.45

74.25

 Yes

32.20

15.31

42.55

25.75

 If yes, taking medication for high cholesterol

42.50

23.80

43.80

34.96