Table 1 General characteristics by age cohort

Telomere Length (kb)

5.65 [5.15-6.52]^a

5.88 ± 0.98^b

4.69 [4.42-5.03] ^a

4.74 ± 0.47^b

Sociodemographic

   Sex

Men

155 (44.2%)^c

158 (53.6%)^c

Women

196 (55.8%)^c

137 (46.4%)^c

   Age (yr)

46.8 ± 1.4^b

66.7 ± 1.4^b

   Age range (yr)

44-49

64-70

   Education (yr)

14.80 ± 2.25^b

14.10 ± 2.62^b

Lifestyle

   Smoking Status

Current

45 (12.8%)^c

17 (5.8%)^c

Past

117 (33.3%)^c

107 (36.3%)^c

Never

189 (53.8%)^c

171 (58.0%)^c

   Alcohol (drinks/week)

4.00 [1.00-9.00]^a

4.00 [0.38-9.00]^a

   Physical activity (hr)/week

10.50 [5.50-17.00]^a

14.00 [8.00-24.75]^a

   Daily antioxidant vitamin use

48 (13.7%)^c

71 (24.1%)^c

Health

   Obesity^d

72 (21.8%)^c

60 (20.5%)^c

   Definite hypertension^e

46 (13.5%)^c

133 (45.9%)^c

Physical Function

   Grip Strength^f

21.598 ± 6.081^b

18.533 ± 5.153^b

   Lung Function^g

1.859 ± 0.362^b

1.513 ± 0.342^b