Table 1 Baseline characteristics according to sex and intervention group in 2356 subjects from the Inter99 study.

Age (years)^a

30–35

7

9

13

11

40–50

59

56

55

60

55–60

34

35

32

29

Vocational training ^a

None

16

15

22

23

< 2 years

3

3

7

7

2 ≤ years ≤ 4

65

65

64

66

4 < years ≤ 9

16

17

7

4

Employed ^a

Yes

87

90

79

82

Living with partner ^a

Yes

84

88

80

81

Daily smoking ^a

Yes

34

33

28

30

Alcohol (units alcohol/week)^a

0

7

6

19

13

1–7

30

36

52

53

8–14

22

16

18

20

14–21

15

13

6

6

21+

26

29

5

8

Physical activity ^a

Mainly sedentary

27

23

26

28

Moderate activity

58

61

65

62

Regular/heavy exercise

15

16

9

10

Perceived risk of diet ^a

Yes

20

15

15

15

Self-rated health ^a

Excellent/very good

26

32

21

26

Good

61

54

61

60

Fair/poor

13

14

18

14

BMI ^b

29.7(4.6)

29.1(4.1)

29.9(6.0)*

30.0(6.0)

Total plasma cholesterol ^b

5.9(1.2)

5.8(1.3)

5.8(1.1)*

5.6(1.6)

Systolic blood pressure ^b

144(18)*

140(20)

138(20)*

133(18)