Table 1 Characteristics among Whites and African Americans at baseline (1987–1989) in ARIC

Age (45–64 years)

54.2 (5.6)

54.4 (5.7)

53.6 (5.8)

 < 0.0001

Female (%)

54.9

53.0

62.0

 < 0.0001

Body mass index (BMI)

27.6 (5.3)

27.0 (4.8)

29.7 (6.1)

 < 0.0001

Weight status (%)

 < 0.0001

Underweight (BMI ≤ 18.5 kg/m²)

0.8

0.8

0.8

Normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m²)

33.0

36.4

20.9

Overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg/m²)

39.5

40.1

37.4

Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²)

26.7

22.7

41.0

Physical activity level (1–5 Baecke units)

2.5 (.8)

2.5 (0.8)

2.1 (0.7)

 < 0.0001

Cigarette smoking (%)

 < 0.0001

Current

25.1

24.1

28.9

Former

33.1

35.7

24.1

Never

41.7

40.1

47.0

Alcohol intake (%)

 < 0.0001

Current

58.1

65.4

32.1

Former

17.9

16.6

22.5

Never

24.0

17.9

44.4

Education level (%)

 < 0.0001

Grade school or zero years of education

8.5

5.6

18.7

High school, but no degree

13.3

11.0

21.4

High school graduate

33.1

36.3

21.5

Vocational school

8.7

9.2

6.9

College

26.7

29.1

18.2

Graduate or professional school

9.9

8.9

13.4

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

120.9 (18.1)

118.8 (16.8)

128.5 (20.4)

 < 0.0001

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

73.6 (10.7)

71.8 (9.7)

79.8 (11.9)

 < 0.0001

Blood pressure medications (%)

29.7

25.5

44.7

 < 0.0001

Fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)

108.1 (38.4)

105.3 (30.9)

117.8 (56.6)

 < 0.0001

Diabetes (%)

11.1

8.7

19.4

 < 0.0001

Metabolic syndrome (%)

44.3

43.0

49.2

 < 0.0001

Waist circumference (cm)

96.9 (13.7)

96.2 (13.2)

99.3 (15.1)

 < 0.0001

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)

215.1 (41.8)

214.9 (40.8)

215.7 (45.1)

0.4276

LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)

137.8 (38.9)

137.6 (37.7)

138.3 (42.7)

0.3977

HDL cholesterol (mg/dL)

51.5 (17.0)

50.5 (16.8)

54.8 (17.3)

 < 0.0001

Triglyceride level (mg/dL)

133.0 (92.9)

137.8 (93.7)

116.3 (83.1)

 < 0.0001