Table 1

 Baseline characteristics of GAZEL cohort men according to father’s and own mid-life occupational grade

Own mid-life occupational gradeFather’s jobp Value†
High gradeLow gradeUnknown
High →, n = 5587Low ↓, n = 624High ↑, n = 5678Low →, n = 1467High, n = 1273Low, n = 342
BMI, body mass index; EDF-GDF, Electricité de France–Gaz de France.
→, stable socioeconomic circumstances; ↓, downward intergenerational mobility; ↑, upward intergenerational mobility.
***p<0.001, comparing baseline characteristics across life-course trajectories.
†The causes of death were coded using the 10the version of the International Classification of Diseases: smoking-related cancers (C01–C14, C15, C25, C32, C34, C39, C67), circulatory system diseases (I00–I99) and external causes (V01–X84).
Age, years (mean, SD)44.0 (2.80)44.6 (2.72)44.9 (2.85)44.6 (2.89)45.2 (2.80)44.9 (2.96)***
Height <1.73 m (%)35.138.141.041.237.340.0***
Missing data12.619.012.120.913.324.8
Educational level (%)
    <High school61.494.279.597.974.497.1***
    ⩾High school38.75.820.52.125.62.9
Years at EDF-GDF (mean, SD)22.0 (5.33)19.6 (6.64)22.4 (5.50)19.0 (6.64)22.2 (5.37)18.6 (6.82)***
Low-grade job at hire (%)70.610085.410080.5100***
Marital status (%)
    Married or with partner93.390.493.992.191.689.2***
    Single2.34.52.03.73.37.1
    Separated or widowed4.45.14.14.25.13.7
Cumulative smoking, pack-years (%)
    Never smoker33.228.235.535.631.731.0***
    <1017.714.116.614.716.116.4
    10–2021.021.619.917.421.516.4
    20–4020.625.619.822.920.724.0
    ⩾405.16.25.25.46.26.4
    Missing data2.24.13.04.03.85.8
Alcohol consumption, drinks/day (%)
    01.54.31.63.12.33.8***
    1–267.956.467.656.667.855.5
    3–418.619.418.712.217.217.3
    ⩾510.017.710.015.99.917.0
    Missing data1.95.12.13.32.86.4
BMI, kg/m2 (%)
    <201.81.41.21.60.93.5***
    25–3037.134.641.037.438.237.1
    >304.15.94.27.05.17.9
    Missing data12.819.012.321.013.424.9
Fruits and vegetables (%)
    <Daily36.535.537.432.934.631.0***
    Missing data11.118.210.819.712.223.7
Poor self-rated health (%)11.117.812.517.013.323.3***
Deaths (n)†
    All-cause22144241916435
    Smoking-related cancers3284118115
    Other cancers4164215143
    Circulatory system diseases3682023112
    External causes27634772