Table 1

Baseline characteristics of completers and non-completers

Characteristic
Completers (n = 237) mean (SD)
Non-completers (n = 74) mean (SD)
P value

Age (yr)
56.7 (8.7)
57.2 (9.5)
0.705
Weight (kg)
91.7 (17.7)
95.3 (19.6)
0.145
Body-mass index (kg/m2)
33.5 (5.9)
34.7 (6.9)
0.144
Waist circumference (cm)
104.9 (13.0)
109.6 (14.9)
0.009
Hip circumference (cm)
115.7 (12.5)
117.6 (13.9)
0.257
Plasma glucose (mmol/l)



     Fasting
5.53 (0.54)
5.46 (0.51)
0.298
     2 Hr oral glucose challenge
6.71 (1.68)
6.61 (1.72)
0.644
Serum lipids (mmol/l)



     Total cholesterol
5.67 (1.15)
5.42 (0.98)
0.102
     Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
3.44 (0.99)
3.25 (0.80)
0.097
     High-density lipoprotein cholesterol
1.34 (0.37)
1.26 (0.34)
0.082
     Triglycerides
1.94 (1.05)
2.02 (1.14)
0.569
Blood pressure (mm Hg)



     Systolic
132.1 (17.1)
135.0 (18.8)
0.216
     Diastolic
81.0 (9.9)
82.6 (11.7)
0.265
HADS anxiety
3.6 (3.3)
5.4 (4.0)
<0.0005
HADS depression
2.8 (2.9)
4.1 (3.9)
0.014
Kessler 10 (psychological distress)
15.3 (5.4)
19.0 (8.0)
<0.0005
SF-36 v2



Physical functioning
78.3 (18.6)
66.3 (26.3)
0.001
Role limitation physical
78.6 (22.4)
67.3 (29.6)
0.008
Bodily pain
63.0 (23.9)
57.8 (27.5)
0.107
General health perception
65.9 (18.6)
61.0 (18.9)
0.034
Vitality
56.4 (19.2)
50.1 (23.8)
0.023
Social functioning
83.2 (20.3)
75.2 (27.3)
0.055
Role limitation emotional
85.4 (21.0)
76.9 (27.3)
0.026
Mental health
75.7 (17.0)
66.5 (20.5)
<0.0005




Years of education
12.1 (3.4)
10.7 (3.1)
0.002

Laatikainen et al. BMC Public Health 2007 7:249   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-7-249