Table 1 Sample characteristics of participants, stratified by sex and birth cohorts

Birth cohort

1901–02 (n = 370)

1911–12 (n = 262)

1922 (n = 199)

1930 (n = 554)

1944 (n = 861)

Examination years

1971–72

1981–83

1992–93

2000–02

2014–16

Women total n

188

130

136

321

474

Linear trend

BMI* (kg/m²)

P value

Mean ± (SD)

26,1 (4,2)

27,1 (4,6)

26,1 (4,3)

27,1 (4,5)

25,6 (5,0)

0.084

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

χ²

P value

 Institutionalized

4 (7/188)

0 (0/130)

2 (3/136)

1 (2/317)

1 (6/465)

0.029

 Sedentary lifestyle

20 (38/187)

31 (39/128)

22 (30/136)

8 (25/314)

3 (14/467)

< 0.0001

 Current smoker

12 (22/188)

12 (16/130)

24 (32/135)

15 (48/316)

9 (41/471)

0.0001

  ≤ Primary school

84 (157/186)

78 (101/129)

62 (80/129)

64 (202/317)

11 (50/469)

< 0.0001

 Married

47 (88/188)

52 (68/130)

51 (69/136)

50 (158/317)

60 (280/467)

0.009

Men total n

182

132

63

233

387

Linear trend

BMI* (kg/m²)

P value

Mean ± (SD)

25,5 (3,3)

25,8 (3,6)

26,9 (3,9)

26,9 (3,9)

26,2(4,0)

0.012

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

% (no. of cases/total cases)

χ²

P value

 Institutionalized

2 (3/182)

0 (0/132)

3 (2/63)

0 (0/232)

2 (6/386)

0.102

 Sedentary lifestyle

12 (21/182)

15 (20/130)

18 (11/63)

10 (22/226)

3 (10/381)

< 0.0001

 Current smoker

46 (84/182)

33 (43/132)

25 (16/63)

14 (33/229)

7 (26/387)

< 0.0001

  ≤ Primary school

81 (147/181)

71 (94/130)

53 (18/34)

57 (132/231)

15 (59/382)

< 0.0001

 Married

79 (142/181)

76 (100/132)

68 (43/63)

74 (173/232)

81 (310/382)

0.112