Table 1 Descriptive statistics: sociodemographic variables at baseline and workplace social capital and number of risk factors at baseline and follow-up, the Finnish Public Sector Study, 2000–2005 (n = 31 373)
No (%)Mean number of risk factors at baseline (SD)Mean number of risk factors at follow-up (SD)
Sex
    Female25897 (83)0.85 (0.84)0.89 (0.85)
    Male5476 (17)1.17 (0.92)1.22 (0.91)
p<0.001p<0.001
Marital status at baseline
    Married or cohabiting24063 (77)0.90 (0.85)0.94 (0.86)
    Single, divorced or widowed7310 (23)0.93 (0.88)0.97 (0.89)
p<0.001p<0.001
Socioeconomic position at baseline
    Upper white-collar9220 (29)0.83 (0.85)0.87 (0.85)
    Lower white-collar16720 (54)0.85 (0.84)0.90 (0.85)
    Blue-collar5433 (17)1.19 (0.90)1.23 (0.90)
p<0.001p<0.001
Employer at baseline
    Town20670 (66)0.96 (0.89)1.01 (0.89)
    Hospital10703 (34)0.80 (0.82)0.83 (0.82)
p<0.001p<0.001
Social capital (individual score) at baseline
    1 (low)8438 (27)0.97 (0.89)1.01 (0.90)
    27270 (23)0.89 (0.86)0.93 (0.87)
    38521 (27)0.87 (0.86)0.92 (0.85)
    4 (high)7144 (23)0.88 (0.84)0.93 (0.86)
p<0.001p<0.001
Social capital (ecological score) at baseline
    1 (low)7852 (25)0.96 (0.89)1.00 (0.89)
    27834 (25)0.92 (0.87)0.95 (0.88)
    37843 (25)0.88 (0.84)0.93 (0.85)
    4 (high)7844 (25)0.86 (0.85)0.91 (0.85)
p<0.001p<0.001
Lifestyle risk factors at baseline
    Current smoker4983 (16)
    Heavy drinker*2516 (8)
    Physically inactive†7455 (24)
    Body mass index ⩾25 kg/m213366 (43)
Lifestyle risk factors at follow-up
    Current smoker4473 (14)
    Heavy drinker*2877 (9)
    Physically inactive†7518 (24)
    Body mass index ⩾25 kg/m214900 (47)
Number of risk factors at baseline
    011735 (38)
    1 or 218298 (58)
    3 or 41340 (4)
Number of risk factors at follow-up
    010949 (35)
    1 or 218943 (60)
    3 or 41481 (5)

  • Only participants with no missing data in any of the variables were included. p values from χ2 test. SD, standard deviation.

  • *Average weekly consumption ⩾190 g of absolute alcohol for women and ⩾275 g for men; †<2 metabolic equivalent task (MET) hours.