Baseline characteristics of the study cohort in relation to quartiles of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)
| Q4 (high) | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 (low) | ptrend | All men | |
| N | 5249 | 5250 | 5250 | 5249 | 20998 | |
| FEV1, % predicted | >106 | 95–106 | 84–95 | <84 | 95±18 | |
| Age, years | 43.9±6.5 | 43.0±6.6 | 42.8±6.7 | 44.1±6.7 | 0.32 | 43.4±6.6 |
| Height, cm | 177±6.7 | 177±6.7 | 177±6.7 | 177±6.9 | 0.76 | 177±6.7 |
| Current smoking, % | 36.0 | 43.9 | 53.8 | 64.4 | <0.001 | 49.5 |
| >20 cigs/day, % of smokers | 19.4 | 23.6 | 28.5 | 33.1 | <0.001 | 27.3 |
| Diabetes, % | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | <0.001 | 4.8 |
| Systolic BP, mm Hg | 127±14 | 127±14 | 126±15 | 128±16 | <0.001 | 127±15 |
| Diastolic BP, mm Hg | 85.0±9.1 | 85.1±9.4 | 85.1±9.6 | 86.2±10 | <0.001 | 85.4±10 |
| Antihypertensive treatment, % | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.9 | <0.001 | 3.8 |
| Cholesterol, mmol/l | 5.5±1.0 | 5.6±1.0 | 5.6±1.1 | 5.7±1.1 | <0.001 | 5.6±1.1 |
| Triglycerides, mmol/l† | 1.21 | 1.27 | 1.33 | 1.42 | <0.001 | 1.31 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 24.5±3.0 | 24.6±3.2 | 24.6±3.3 | 24.9±3.7 | <0.001 | 24.6±3.3 |
| Physical inactivity, % | 46.1 | 50.7 | 54.4 | 59.0 | <0.001 | 52.6 |
| Low occupation level, % | 56.3 | 57.7 | 60.8 | 66.2 | <0.001 | 60.2 |
| Married, % | 70.6 | 72.0 | 69.8 | 66.4 | <0.001 | 69.7 |
| High alcohol consumption, % | 15.6 | 16.8 | 18.7 | 20.7 | <0.001 | 18.0 |
| Angina pectoris, % | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | <0.001 | 1.3 |
| Leucocytes, 109/l* | 5.7±1.8 | 5.9±1.9 | 6.2±2.0 | 6.5±2.1 | <0.001 | 6.1±2.0 |