Table 2 Descriptive statistics for categorical variables

Time point	Variable	Category	Men (n = 169)		Women (n = 223)
Time point	Variable	Category	No	%	No	%
Fetal	Social class at birth*	I, II	21	12.8	19	8.6
		III	96	58.5	144	65.5
		IV, V	47	28.7	57	25.9
			(n = 164)		(n = 220)
	Housing conditions at birth†	0	81	48.5	109	48.9
		1	37	22.2	60	26.9
		2	31	18.6	27	12.1
		⩾3	18	10.8	27	12.1
			(n = 167)		(n = 223)
Childhood	Had measles between ages 0 and 5	No	80	47.6	91	41.0
		Yes	88	52.4	131	59.0
			(n = 168)		(n = 222)
	Had influenza between ages 0 and 5	No	158	94.1	218	98.2
		Yes	10	6.0	4	1.8
			(n = 168)		(n = 222)
	Had whooping cough between ages 0 and 5	No	94	56.0	126	56.8
		Yes	74	44.1	96	43.2
			(n = 168)		(n = 222)
	Had tuberculosis between ages 0 and 5	No	155	92.3	212	95.5
		Yes	13	7.7	10	4.5
			(n = 168)		(n = 222)
	Breast fed for less than 4 weeks	No	133	79.6	156	71.9
		Yes	34	20.4	61	28.1
			(n = 167)		(n = 217)
Adulthood	Social class at 49–51 y*	I, II	80	49.7	108	51.7
		III	63	39.1	69	33.0
		IV, V	18	11.2	21	15.3
			(n = 161)		(n = 209)
	Cigarette smoking status‡	None	56	33.7	103	46.2
		Ex	69	41.6	55	24.7
		Current	41	24.7	65	29.2
			(n = 166)		(n = 223)
	Alcohol consumption‡	None	11	6.6	32	14.5
		Light	65	38.9	91	41.2
		Moderate	71	42.5	87	39.4
		Heavy	20	12.0	11	5.0
			(n = 167)		(n = 221)
	Physical activity‡	None	13	7.8	32	14.4
		Low	92	55.4	104	46.9
		Medium	35	21.1	52	23.4
		High	26	15.7	34	15.3
			(n = 166)		(n = 222)
	Occupational exposure§	Normal	110	65.1	221	99.1
		Increased	59	34.9	2	0.9
			(n = 169)		(n = 223)
	Had LRTI¶ aged 47–50 y‡	No	149	89.8	184	82.9
		Yes	17	10.2	38	17.1
			(n = 166)		(n = 222)
	Current β blocker usage	No	160	94.7	211	94.6
		Yes	9	5.3	12	5.4
			(n = 169)		(n = 223)
General	Ever diagnosed with asthma¶	No	147	88.0	194	87.0
		Yes	20	12.0	29	13.0
			(n = 167)		(n = 223)

*As defined by the UK Registrar General’s Standard Occupational Classification, where I is the most advantaged and V the least.
†From 0 to 3 or more of: overcrowding, lack of hot water, shared toilet and dampness or poor repair.
‡Self-reported.
§Ever employed in an occupation with an increased risk of exposure to asbestos, dust or fumes.16
¶Self-reported or abstracted from early records.
LRTI, lower respiratory tract infection.