Table 1 Demographic, socioeconomic, and bowel health characteristics of study participants stratified by frailty status

Age, Mean (S.E)

69.91 (0.16)

69.12 (0.17)

72.34 (0.28)

< 0.0001

Sex n (%)

0.001

 Female

2077 (48.97)

1443 (73.14)

634 (26.86)

 Male

2164 (51.03)

1604 (78.34)

560 (21.66)

Race n (%)

0.001

 Non-Hispanic White

2482 (58.52)

1829 (76.94)

653 (23.06)

 Non-Hispanic Black

816 (19.24)

552 (66.09)

264 (33.91)

 Hispanic

275 (6.48)

196 (73.21)

79 (26.79)

 Mexican American

560 (13.2)

394 (69.08)

166 (30.92)

 Other Race

108 (2.55)

76 (72.42)

32 (27.58)

Marital n (%)

< 0.0001

 Married/Living with a partner

2553 (60.2)

1958 (80.08)

595 (19.92)

 Never married

153 (3.61)

108 (72.08)

45 (27.92)

 Separated/Divorced/Widowed

1535 (36.19)

981 (66.72)

554 (33.28)

Education n (%)

< 0.0001

 < High school

1401 (33.03)

872 (62.55)

529 (37.45)

 High school

1065 (25.11)

759 (71.98)

306 (28.02)

 College

1775 (41.85)

1416 (83.55)

359 (16.45)

Poverty, Mean (S.E)

2.98 (0.05)

3.20 (0.05)

2.30 (0.06)

< 0.0001

Smoke n (%)

0.05

 Never

1970 (46.45)

1458 (77.18)

512 (22.82)

 Former

1751 (41.29)

1243 (74.81)

508 (25.19)

 Now

520 (12.26)

346 (71.16)

174 (28.84)

Alcohol use n (%)

0.01

 No

729 (17.19)

480 (69.12)

249 (30.88)

 Yes

3512 (82.81)

2567 (76.71)

945 (23.29)

Diarrhea n (%)

< 0.001

 No

3839 (90.52)

2796 (76.39)

1043 (23.61)

 Yes

402 (9.48)

251 (65.44)

151 (34.56)

Constipation n (%)

< 0.001

 No

3950 (93.14)

2873 (76.29)

1077 (23.71)

 Yes

291 (6.86)

174 (64.53)

117 (35.47)

Stool frequency, Mean (S.E)

9.02 (0.08)

9.04 (0.09)

8.97 (0.17)

0.74

Healthy eating index, Mean (S.E)

54.52 (0.37)

55.38 (0.36)

51.88 (0.62)

< 0.0001

Total energy intake, Mean (S.E)

1806.17 (20.04)

1848.49 (21.42)

1675.68 (24.73)

< 0.0001