Table 1

Baseline characteristics of asymptomatic individuals with usable spirometry and complete data

MenWomen
Black (n=578)Non-black (n=2929)Black (n=786)Non-black (n=3196)
Age (years)53.2 (5.9)54.3 (5.7)52.7 (5.5)53.7 (5.6)
Height (cm)176.1 (6.6)176.4 (6.4)163.5 (5.8)162.2 (5.9)
BMI (kg/m2)27.9 (4.6)27.4 (3.7)30.1 (5.8)26.2 (5.1)
Waist-hip ratio0.94 (0.05)0.96 (0.05)0.89 (0.08)0.88 (0.08)
Sitting height (cm)89.9 (3.3)92.9 (3.3)84.6 (3.2)86.5 (3.2)
Income (%)
 <$50006.70.311.70.9
 $5000–79995.00.77.91.3
 $8000–119997.41.612.14.2
 $12000–1599910.73.710.35.4
 $16000–2499919.210.218.214.1
 $25000–3499915.417.413.719.0
 $35000–5000011.224.39.821.0
 $50000+13.838.55.929.2
 Not reported10.43.210.45.1
Working status (%)
 Homemaker*12.223.7
 Employed80.179.177.164.7
 Unemployed3.61.32.32.0
 Retired16.319.68.49.7
Most recent occupation (%)
 Managerial/professional specialty or retired41.053.145.354.3
 Technical/sales/admin support9.218.616.230.2
 Service occupations9.22.826.58.4
 Precision production/craft/repair15.614.50.01.5
 Operators/fabricators/labourers22.79.69.95.3
 Missing/other2.41.32.20.3
Ever smoked (%)67.567.841.744.1
Current smoker (%)33.617.523.918.3
Pack-years of smoking (if ever smoked)22.6 (18.9)29.2 (21.8)15.7 (13.5)19.7 (16.5)
Education (%)
 Grade school18.04.710.32.9
 High school, did not graduate17.59.118.89.6
 High school graduate21.128.323.043.1
 Vocational school6.410.08.48.4
 College20.133.321.429.4
 Graduate/professional school17.014.618.16.7
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)129.3 (20.3)119.4 (15.7)126.6 (20.5)116.3 (17.2)
FEV1 (l)3.10 (0.56)3.56 (0.65)2.34 (0.41)2.60 (0.44)
FVC (l)4.09 (0.67)4.82 (0.77)3.00 (0.51)3.45 (0.53)
FEV1/FVC (%)76.0 (6.8)73.9 (6.9)78.0 (6.1)75.5 (5.7)
  • Values are mean (SD) or percentage.

  • * In the dataset, male subjects who reported they were homemakers were given a missing value for current working status to help preserve anonymity. Since these participants could not be identified they were not included in the analysis.

  • BMI, body mass index; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity.