Table 3

Age and multivariate adjusted odds ratios (OR, 95% CI) of the actual number of prevalent chronic diseases by educational level among men and women aged 50 to 75 years in the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort, applying multinomial logistic regression models (Reference category: highest educational level)

Men
 Women
Educational Level
 Middle
 Low
Middle
 Low

N
 OR
 95%-CI
 OR
 95%-CI
 N
 OR
 95%-CI
 OR
 95%-CI
Age-adjusted









Morbidity1









0
 657
 1


576
 1


1
 1439
 1.35
 1.01–1.81
 1.08
 0.89–1.32
 1249
 1.31
 1.00–1.71
 1.41
 1.11–1.80
2
 1595
 1.51
 1.14–2.02
 1.18
 0.97–1.44
 1458
 1.22
 0.94–1.59
 1.50
 1.19–1.91
3
 1246
 1.65
 1.22–2.23
 1.44
 1.16–1.77
 1124
 1.29
 0.98–1.71
 1.64
 1.28–2.11
4
 800
 1.69
 1.21–2.36
 1.72
 1.37–2.17
 634
 1.67
 1.22–2.31
 1.85
 1.38–2.48
5
 374
 2.00
 1.30–3.09
 2.55
 1.88–3.45
 335
 1.77
 1.16–2.68
 2.33
 1.61–3.39
≥ 6
 293
 1.96
 1.19–3.23
 3.08
 2.18–4.33
 218
 1.54
 0.89–2.66
 3.31
 2.08–5.27
P for trend
<0.001
0.002

0.015
0.003
Multivariate-adjusted#









Morbidity1









0
 647
 1


566
 1


1
 1392
 1.32
 0.98–1.78
 1.02
 0.82–1.27
 1182
 1.26
 0.96–1.66
 1.31
 1.01–1.71
2
 1511
 1.44
 1.07–1.93
 1.11
 0.89–1.38
 1344
 1.17
 0.89–1.53
 1.30
 1.00–1.68
3
 1142
 1.43
 1.04–1.95
 1.19
 0.94–1.49
 1000
 1.11
 0.82–1.48
 1.31
 1.00–1.73
4
 744
 1.50
 1.06–2.12
 1.39
 1.07–1.79
 551
 1.50
 1.06–2.12
 1.30
 0.94–1.81
5
 353
 1.64
 1.04–2.57
 1.76
 1.26–2.45
 285
 1.47
 0.94–2.32
 1.60
 1.05–2.43
≥ 6
 253
 1.44
 0.83–2.49
 2.24
 1.52–3.29
 186
 1.47
 0.78–2.76
 2.53
 1.45–4.41
P for trend
0.039
0.003

0.021
0.039
Age-adjusted









Metabolic diseases2









0
 1504
 1


1606
 1


1
 2480
 1.36
 1.11–1.66
 1.10
 0.96–1.27
 2562
 1.28
 1.08–1.53
 1.39
 1.19–1.63
2
 2121
 1.53
 1.24–1.88
 1.41
 1.22–1.63
 1749
 1.43
 1.17–1.75
 1.85
 1.55–2.22
3/4
 1054
 1.81
 1.39–2.36
 2.40
 1.99–2.89
 454
 1.72
 1.18–2.50
 3.08
 2.23–4.26
P for trend
0.009
0.089

0.007
0.042
Multivariate-adjusted#









Metabolic diseases2









0
 1422
 1


1483
 1


1
 2334
 1.30
 1.06–1.61
 0.99
 0.85–1.16
 2329
 1.19
 0.99–1.43
 1.24
 1.04–1.48
2
 2004
 1.36
 1.09–1.69
 1.16
 0.98–1.37
 1602
 1.29
 1.04–1.60
 1.38
 1.13–1.69
3/4
 999
 1.51
 1.14–2.02
 1.62
 1.31–2.00
 402
 1.40
 0.93–2.12
 1.76
 1.21–2.55
P for trend
0.043
0.113

0.012
0.018

# adjusted for smoking status, BMI (continuous; kg/m2), fruit intake (continuous; g/day), vegetable intake (continuous; g/day), alcohol consumption (continuous; g/day), age (continuous; years), combined total physical activity index (inactive, moderately inactive, moderately active, active)

1Number of the prevalent chronic conditions mentioned in table 1

2Number of prevalent metabolic diseases, including hyperuricemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia

Nagel et al. BMC Public Health 2008 8:384   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-384