Table 2 Baseline characteristics participants by gender ^*

Age (years)

43.8 (15.011)

41.61 (13.77)

<0.001

Education ^‡

<0.001

  <6 yrs

566 (27.2)

1130 (39.5)

  6-12 yrs

1148 (55.1)

1479 (51.7)

  >12 yrs

368 (17.7)

251 (8.8)

Marital status ^‡

<0.001

  Single

362 (17.4)

283 (9.9)

  Married

1709 (82.0)

2330 (81.3)

  Divorce or widow

14 (0.7)

253 (8.8)

Current smoking ^‡

568 (27.9)

118 (4.2)

<0.001

BMI (kg/m ² )

25.73 (4.046)

27.51 (5.2)

<0.001

Waist circumference (cm)

88.53 (11.33)

87.62 (12.8)

0.011

Systolic BP (mm Hg)

120.71 (18.51)

118.45 (18.95)

<0.001

Diastolic BP (mm Hg)

78 (11.02)

77.82 (10.43)

0.6

TC (mmol/L)

5.3 (1.124)

5.51 (1.28)

<0.001

HDL-C (mmol/L)

1.0 (0.24)

1.166 (0.30)

<0.001

TG (mmol/L) ^†

1.75 (1.31)

1.54 (1.24)

<0.001

Non-HDL-C (mmol/L)

4.3 (1.13)

4.34 (1.28)

0.252

TC/HDl-C

5.6 (1.75)

5.0 (1.53)

<0.001

TG/HDL-C ^†

1.82 (1.06)

1.35 (1.34)

<0.001

FPG (mmol/L)

5.38 (1.5)

5.45 (1.97)

0.13