Table 1

Characteristics of study participants

Portions of fruit and vegetables eaten on the previous day
All0− <11 − <33 − <55 − <77+
N (%)65 2269897 (15.2)20 132 (30.9)18 916 (29.0)10 244 (15.7)6037 (9.3)
Age
 Mean Age, years (SD)56.6 (14.3)54.2 (14.4)56.9 (14.7)57.6 (14.4)57.1 (13.7)55.3 (12.8)
 35–44, n (%)16 865 (25.9)3248 (32.8)5306 (26.4)4455 (23.6)2337 (22.8)1519 (25.2)
 45–54, n (%)14 610 (22.4)2414 (24.4)4385 (21.8)4050 (21.4)2282 (22.3)1479 (24.5)
 55–64, n (%)14 130 (21.7)1765 (17.8)4082 (20.3)4233 (22.4)2499 (24.4)1551 (25.7)
 65–74, n (%)10 829 (16.6)1319 (13.3)3309 (16.4)3366 (17.8)1837 (17.9)998 (16.5)
 75+, n (%)8792 (13.5)1151 (11.6)3050 (15.2)2812 (14.9)1289 (12.6)490 (8.1)
Sex
 Male, n (%)28 974 (44.4)4902 (49.5)9276 (46.1)8059 (42.6)4241 (41.4)2496 (41.3)
Social Class
 Non-manual, n (%)31 275 (47.9)3318 (33.5)8834 (43.9)9684 (51.2)5769 (56.3)3670 (60.8)
 Manual, n (%)26 583 (40.8)5071 (51.2)8905 (44.2)7176 (37.9)3574 (34.9)1857 (30.8)
 Other, n (%)7368 (11.3)1508 (15.2)2393 (11.9)2056 (10.9)901 (8.8)510 (8.4)
Education
 Degree or equivalent qualification10 340 (15.9)735 (7.4)2431 (12.1)3206 (16.9)2250 (22.0)1718 (28.5)
 Other32 969 (50.5)4797 (48.5)10 080 (50.1)9663 (51.1)5316 (51.9)3113 (51.6)
 No qualifications21 917 (33.6)4365 (44.1)7621 (37.9)6047 (32.0)2678 (26.1)1206 (20.0)
Fruit & vegetable consumption
 Mean portions of fruit, n (SD)2.3 (2.0)0.2 (0.4)1.2 (0.8)2.5 (1.0)3.8 (1.2)6.1 (2.7)
 Mean portions of vegetables, n (SD)1.5 (1.2)0.3 (0.4)1.1 (0.7)1.6 (0.9)2.2 (1.1)3.1 (1.8)
Cigarette smoking
 Current Smoker, n (%)13 432 (20.6)3860 (39.0)4897 (24.3)2910 (15.4)1137 (11.1)628 (10.4)
 Ex-regular smoker, n (%)20 130 (30.9)2526 (25.5)6235 (31.0)6035 (31.9)3381 (33.0)1953 (32.4)
 Never regular smoker, n (%)31 546 (48.4)3471 (35.1)8964 (44.5)9949 (52.6)5712 (55.8)3450 (57.1)
 Missing, n (%)118 (0.2)40 (0.4)36 (0.2)22 (0.1)14 (0.1)6 (0.1)
BMI
 Mean BMI, kg/m227.7 (5.0)27.7 (5.2)27.7 (4.9)27.7 (4.9)27.6 (4.9)27.6 (4.9)
 <20, n (%)1560 (2.4)327 (3.3)494 (2.5)410 (2.2)206 (2.0)123 (2.0)
 20–24.9, n (%)15 970 (24.5)2344 (23.7)4810 (23.9)4647 (24.6)2589 (25.3)1580 (26.2)
 25–29.9, n (%)23 168 (35.5)3276 (33.1)7190 (35.7)6796 (35.9)3724 (36.4)2182 (36.1)
 ≥30, n (%)15 091 (23.1)2365 (23.9)4700 (23.3)4327 (22.9)2333 (22.8)1366 (22.6)
 Missing9437 (14.5)1585 (16.0)2938 (14.6)2736 (14.5)1392 (13.6)786 (13.0)
Physical Activity
 Inactive2594 (4.0)605 (6.1)954 (4.7)697 (3.7)252 (2.5)86 (1.4)
 Light Activity2948 (4.5)541 (5.5)955 (4.7)852 (4.5)433 (4.2)167 (2.8)
 Moderate Activity13 658 (20.9)2175 (22.0)4350 (21.6)3863 (20.4)2058 (20.1)1212 (20.1)
 Vigorous Activity5709 (8.8)583 (5.9)1426 (7.1)1697 (9.0)1170 (11.4)833 (13.8)
 Missing40 317 (61.8)5993 (60.6)12 447 (61.8)11 807 (62.4)6331 (61.8)3739 (61.9)
Alcohol Intake
 Non-drinker or drank no alcohol in preceding 7days21 275 (32.6)3627 (36.6)6541 (32.5)6007 (31.8)3151 (30.8)1949 (32.3)
 Drank under daily limit*21 047 (32.3)2322 (23.5)6217 (30.9)6556 (34.7)3767 (36.8)2185 (36.2)
 Drank over daily limit but less than double the daily limit*13 639 (20.9)1909 (19.3)4170 (20.7)4091 (21.6)2190 (21.4)1279 (21.2)
 Drank over double the daily limit*8497 (13.0)1855 (18.7)2940 (14.6)2092 (11.1)1031 (10.1)579 (9.6)
 Missing768 (1.2)184 (1.9)264 (1.3)170 (0.9)105 (1.0)45 (0.7)
Mortality
 Died, n (%)4399 (6.7)815 (8.2)1581 (7.9)1218 (6.4)538 (5.3)247 (4.1)
 Died of cancer, n (%)1398 (2.1)246 (2.5)480 (2.4)394 (2.1)184 (1.8)94 (1.6)
 Died of CVD, n (%)1554 (2.4)265 (2.7)550 (2.7)448 (2.4)208 (2.0)83 (1.4)
 Median follow-up, months929692919091
  • *Daily limit is 3 units for women; 4 units for men. Double daily limit is 6 units for women; 8 units for men.

  • CVD, cardiovascular disease.