Table 1 The characteristics of variables of the first survey of each study extracted from the ATHLOS cohort to the analysis dataset (N = 24,982)

Baseline wave

2000

2002

2000

Number of individuals

9765

10,815

4402

Age (mean)

62.9

66.0

66.1

Sex (%, men)

45.4

45.7

42.2

Education (% with low education)

25.3

48.1

60.3

 Stair climbing (% with limitations)

14.9

15.8

22.9

 Moving (% with limitations)

4.8

3.5

10.0

 Bathing or showering (% with limitations)

4.6

12.9

11.0

 Getting dressed (% with limitations)

13.8

12.8

 Using the toilet (% with limitations)

4.3

3.8

6.6

 Getting in or out of bed (% with limitations)

5.6

6.9

13.6

 Continence (% with limitations)

15.4

15.7

21.3

 Eating (% with limitations)

2.2

1.9

4.5

 Making telephone calls (% with limitations)

2.5

1.9

7.0

 Shopping groceries (% with limitations)

6.5

9.9

17.1

 Preparing meals (% with limitations)

4.2

4.6

15.2

 Doing housework (% with limitations)

31.4

16.8

39.8

 Taking medications (% with limitations)

2.2

1.6

6.4

 Managing money (% with limitations)

3.7

2.6

 Smoker (%)

18.3

17.3

20.4

 Obesity (%)

28.1

28.7^b

27.0

 Alcohol use (%)

48.1

87.8

69.2

 Arterial hypertension (%)

45.4

41.2^b

58.2

 Vigorous exercise (%)

46.7

26.7

51.4