Table 1 Characteristics of study participants according to tea consumption habits

 Gender (women), n (%)

1458(48.5)

1297(67.3)

161(14.9)

< 0.001

 Age, mean(SD), years

67.3(5.7)

67.5(5.9)

67.0(5.4)

0.01

 Living with spouse, n (%)

2506(83.4)

1567(81.3)

939(87.2)

< 0.001

 Primary and below education, n  (%)

2597(86.4)

1766(91.6)

831(77.2)

< 0.001

 Monthly income, n (%)

< 0.001

  ≤ 1000 CNY

1682(56.0)

1177(61.0)

505(46.9)

  1001–3000 CNY

1101(36.6)

656(34.0)

445(41.3)

  > 3000 CNY

222(7.4)

95(4.9)

127(11.8)

 Current smoking, n (%)

844(28.1)

271(14.1)

573(53.2)

< 0.001

 Alcohol consumption, n (%)

749(24.9)

252(13.1)

497(46.1)

< 0.001

 Physical activity, n (%)

1273(42.4)

754(39.1)

519(48.2)

< 0.001

 Working, n (%)

1135(37.8)

671(34.8)

464(43.1)

< 0.001

 SBP, mean(SD), mmHg

142.4(19.6)

143.9(19.6)

139.6(19.3)

< 0.001

 DBP, mean(SD), mmHg

84.9(11.3)

84.8(11.3)

85.1(11.3)

0.46

 BMI, mean(SD), kg/m²

22.9(4.9)

22.8(5.8)

23.1(2.4)

0.11

 HDL-C, mean(SD), mmol/L

1.6(0.4)

1.6(0.4)

1.5(0.4)

< 0.001

 TG, mean(SD), mmol/L

1.1(0.5)

1.1 (0.5)

1.1(0.6)

0.44

 FPG, mean(SD), mmol/L

5.4(0.9)

5.4(0.9)

5.4(0.9)

0.24

 History of hypertension, n (%)

1481(49.3)

932(48.3)

549(51.0)

0.17

 History of diabetes mellitus, n (%)

120(4.0)

76(3.9)

44(4.1)

0.85

 SBP, mean(SD), mmHg

148.9(21.0)

150.1(21.2)

146.6(20.4)

< 0.001

 DBP, mean(SD), mmHg

82.1(11.5)

81.6(11.5)

83.1(11.3)

0.001

 BMI, mean(SD), kg/m²

23.6(3.6)

23.5(3.8)

23.8(3.0)

0.05

 HDL-C, mean(SD), mmol/L

1.6(0.4)

1.6(0.4)

1.5(0.4)

< 0.001

 TG, mean(SD), mmol/L

1.2(0.7)

1.3 (0.7)

1.2(0.7)

0.27

 FPG, mean(SD), mmol/L

5.7(1.0)

5.6(0.9)

5.7(1.1)

0.17

 Metabolic syndrome, n (%)

406(13.5)

263(13.6)

143(13.3)

0.78