Table 2 Characteristics of the random sample of EPIC-NL (n=1886)

Sex (% men)

24.6 (465)

Age (yr)

50.1 (11.7)

43.9 (11.1)

52.2 (11.2)

Waist circumference (cm)

85.5 (11.6)

92.0 (11.4)

82.9 (10.5)

Abdominal obesity(%)^a

27.7(522)

21.9 (102)

29.6 (420)

HbA1C (%)

5.46 (0.69)

5.27 (0.61)

5.53 (0.71)

Hyperglycemia^a

28.3 (534)

17.8 (83)

31.7 (451)

Diabetic medication(%)

1.2 (22)

0.2 (1)

1.5 (21)

HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

1.27 (0.35)

1.14 (0.28)

1.31 (0.36)

Low HDL-cholesterol(%)^a

47.8 (902)

29.2 (136)

53.9 (766)

Triglyceride (mmol/L) ^{b, c}

1.32 (0.91-1.98)

1.72 (1.15-2.40)

1.22 (0.85-1.80)

Hypertriglyceridemia ^{a, b}

33.8 (637)

50.8 (236)

28.2 (401)

Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

126.9 (18.5)

127.1 (14.8)

126.8 (19.5)

Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

78.2 (10.4)

80.3 (10.1)

77.5 (10.4)

Hypertension(%)^a

45.6 (860)

47.1(219)

45.1 (641)

Blood pressure lowering medication (%)

10.7 (202)

5.6 (26)

12.4 (176)

High sensitive CRP (mmol/L)

1.41 (0.62-3.39)

1.20 (0.53-2.82)

1.49 (0.66-3.70)

MetS-score (number of features)

1.8 (1.4)

1.7 (1.3)

1.9 (1.4)

MetS prevalence(%)^a

30.3 (572)

25.2 (117)

32.0 (455)