Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the study participants according to history and duration of high occupational physical activity, by sex

NeverEver
0 years<1 year1–2 years3–5 years6–9 years≥10 yearsTotal (ever)
Men, n (%)89 582 (47.9)7847 (4.2)13 722 (7.4)19 681 (10.5)12 135 (6.5)43 905 (23.5)97 290 (52.1)
 Age, years62.8 (5.3)62.4 (5.3)62.3 (5.4)62.2 (5.3)62.1 (5.2)62.5 (5.2)62.3 (5.3)
 High Deprivation Index*, %15.814.416.218.322.128.422.6
 High education†, %57.870.762.854.444.317.539.3
 Caucasian, %93.595.595.294.794.593.694.3
 Married, %84.685.586.085.685.384.885.2
 Obesity, %16.916.719.621.823.524.822.6
 Energy intake, calories1951.8 (846.1)1993.2 (812.6)2000.8 (844.9)2034.7 (890.9)2063.2 (905.2)2229.9 (1204.4)2116.6 (1038.7)
 HEI, score67.8 (9.4)68.6 (9.3)68.2 (9.4)67.9 (9.5)67.5 (9.5)65.7 (9.9)67.0 (9.7)
 Alcohol intake, g/day17.3 (39.5)18.9 (40.0)18.5 (39.8)18.9 (43.9)18.1 (43.3)19.1 (53.9)18.8 (47.8)
 Never smokers, %33.833.328.327.725.223.826.2
 Leisure time MVPA ≥4 hour/wk, %47.150.350.251.152.451.851.4
 Diabetes, %9.38.08.79.29.811.09.9
 Hypertension, %40.836.539.440.040.941.740.5
 Hypercholesterolaemia, %41.643.442.041.942.142.042.1
 Coronary heart disease, %17.615.916.417.317.019.017.8
 Stroke, %2.01.61.62.02.32.72.2
 Cancer‡, %3.84.64.24.33.94.04.1
 Osteoporosis, %0.70.80.80.80.91.21.0
 Pulmonary emphysema, %2.22.12.62.93.54.23.4
Women, n (%)113 552 (83.9)1407 (1.0)2131 (1.6)3729 (2.8)3122 (2.3)11 313 (8.4)21 702 (16.1)
 Age, years62.3 (5.3)61.1 (5.6)60.7 (5.5)60.7 (5.4)60.8 (5.4)61.6 (5.4)61.2 (5.4)
 High deprivation index*, %18.623.822.822.022.726.524.6
 High education†, %33.632.627.327.223.722.324.5
 Caucasian, %91.587.990.391.092.490.790.8
 Married, %45.139.142.842.844.639.841.0
 Obesity, %20.725.025.928.127.227.227.1
 Energy intake, calories1561.8 (734.0)1745.2 (1065.3)1645.5 (738.3)1674.8 (809.1)1717.3 (864.4)1755.6 (971.6)1724.7 (916.9)
 HEI, score69.2 (9.3)68.5 (9.1)68.4 (9.5)67.9 (9.6)68.0 (9.7)67.9 (9.6)68.0 (9.6)
 Alcohol intake, g/day6.2 (17.3)6.2 (19.9)5.5 (17.1)6.0 (20.6)6.1 (20.6)6.1 (24.0)6.0 (22.1)
 Never smokers, %44.840.739.037.538.440.339.4
 Leisure time MVPA ≥4 hour/wk. %47.246.950.652.254.358.555.3
 Diabetes, %6.87.47.58.17.38.38.0
 Hypertension, %37.236.037.138.736.739.338.4
 Hypercholesterolaemia, %46.945.845.645.546.645.645.7
 Coronary heart disease, %8.18.68.79.99.910.910.2
 Stroke, %1.62.22.22.22.12.42.3
 Cancer‡, %5.16.27.06.36.56.26.3
 Osteoporosis, %7.610.09.28.610.910.610.0
 Pulmonary emphysema, %2.24.03.13.03.33.63.4
  • *The highest sex-specific fifth.

  • †College or higher.

  • ‡Excluding colorectal cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

  • HEI, Healthy Eating Index; MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.