Table 1 Characteristics (n, % (of sitting time group)) of participants by amount of sitting time per day

Gender

Men

16,516 (43.9 %)

27,993 (46.3 %)

24,719 (47.5 %)

24,713 (51.9 %)

Women

21,116 (56.1 %)

32,477 (53.7 %)

27,316 (52.5 %)

22,908 (48.1 %)

Age at baseline

45–49 yrs

6,249 (16.6 %)

7,764 (12.8 %)

6,405 (12.3 %)

8,257 (17.3 %)

50–54 yrs

7,104 (18.9 %)

9,991 (16.5 %)

7,979 (15.3 %)

10,093 (21.2 %)

55–59 yrs

7,373 (19.6 %)

10,433 (17.3 %)

8,933 (17.2 %)

9,280 (19.5 %)

60–64 yrs

6,231 (16.6 %)

9,850 (16.3 %)

8,191 (15.7 %)

6,401 (13.4 %)

65–69 yrs

4,470 (11.9 %)

8,300 (13.7 %)

7,140 (13.7 %)

4,355 (9.1 %)

70–74 yrs

2,759 (7.3 %)

5,755 (9.5 %)

5,018 (9.6 %)

2,898 (6.1 %)

75–79 yrs

1,645 (4.4 %)

3,773 (6.2 %)

3,615 (6.9 %)

2,291 (4.8 %)

80–84 yrs

1,380 (3.7 %)

3,443 (5.7 %)

3,483 (6.7 %)

2,645 (5.6 %)

85+ yrs

421 (1.1 %)

1,161 (1.9 %)

1,271 (2.4 %)

1,401 (2.9 %)

Education level

University degree

7,731 (20.8 %)

12,952 (21.7 %)

12,615 (24.5 %)

15,760 (33.4 %)

Marital status

Married/in relationship

29,573 (79.0 %)

46,961 (78.0 %)

39,804 (76.9 %)

35,563 (75.1 %)

Region type

Major city

15,177 (40.3 %)

25,327 (41.9 %)

23,365 (44.9 %)

25,062 (52.6 %)

Inner regional

13,932 (37.0 %)

22,177 (36.7 %)

18,847 (36.2 %)

15,268 (32.1 %)

Outer regional/remote

8,523 (22.6 %)

12,966 (21.4 %)

9,823 (18.9 %)

7,291 (15.3 %)

Body mass index

Obese (≥30 Kg/m²)

7,203 (20.6 %)

11,839 (21.0 %)

10,995 (22.6 %)

11,326 (25.3 %)

Smoking status

Current smoker

2,914 (7.8 %)

4,431 (7.3 %)

3,592 (6.9 %)

3,402 (7.2 %)

Self-rated health

Excellent

6,568 (18.0 %)

9,260 (15.8 %)

7,296 (14.4 %)

6,712 (14.5 %)

Very good

14,370 (39.3 %)

22,924 (39.0 %)

19,250 (38.0 %)

16,808 (36.2 %)

Good

11,714 (32.1 %)

19,707 (33.5 %)

17,306 (34.2 %)

15,653 (33.7 %)

Fair

3,366 (9.2 %)

6,039 (10.3 %)

5,909 (11.7 %)

6,070 (13.1 %)

Poor

515 (1.4 %)

810 (1.4 %)

882 (1.7 %)

1,181 (2.5 %)

Require help for disability

1,216 (3.4 %)

2,176 (3.8 %)

2,401 (4.8 %)

2,814 (6.1 %)

Psychological distress

High distress

4,570 (7.7 %)

3,463 (7.5 %)

2,304 (7.0 %)

3,057 (6.9 %)

History of CVD

11,458 (18.0 %)

8,954 (17.7 %)

5,988 (16.7 %)

6,656 (13.8 %)

History of cancer

5,683 (8.9 %)

4,554 (9.0 %)

3,051 (8.5 %)

3,746 (7.8 %)

History of diabetes

5,777 (9.1 %)

4,418 (8.8 %)

2,836 (7.9 %)

3,060 (6.3 %)

Died

3,083 (4.7 %)

2,066 (4.0 %)

1,196 (3.3 %)

1,115 (2.3 %)