Table 1 Characteristics of the study population

Demography

   Age, years

57.0 ± 12.7

55.0 ± 12.9

0.01

   Body mass index, kg/m²

24.2 ± 3.5

23.7 ± 3.2

0.02

   Waist-to-hip ratio

0.89 ± 0.06

0.86 ± 0.32

0.04

Blood pressure, mm Hg

   Systolic

125.9 ± 17.5

124.7 ± 19.4

0.28

   Diastolic

78.8 ± 9.6

75.4 ± 9.1

<0.0001

Pulse rate, beats/minute

68.1 ± 8.9

68.7 ± 8.0

0.29

Take antihypertensive drugs, n (%)

139 (33.8)

192 (28.8)

0.09

Hypertension, n (%)^a

179 (43.6)

231 (34.7)

0.004

Diabetes mellitus, n (%)^a

28 (6.8)

38 (5.7)

0.41

Biochemical measurements

   Plasma fasting glucose, mmol/L

4.50 ± 1.55

4.57 ± 1.19

0.42

   Serum total cholesterol, mmol/L

4.73 ± 0.87

4.74 ± 0.91

0.90

   Serum HDL cholesterol, mmol/L

1.62 ± 0.45

1.81 ± 0.41

<0.0001

   Serum triglycerides, mmol/L

1.53 (1.44-1.63)

1.27 (1.22-1.33)

<0.0001

Microalbuminuria, n (%)^a

14 (3.4)

32 (4.8)

0.26

Metabolic syndrome, n (%)^a

60 (14.6)

107 (16.0)

0.52