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Table 2 Cohort activity exposure (occupational /leisure) at 36, 43, and 53 years, stratified by gender

From: Body mass index, occupational activity, and leisure-time physical activity: an exploration of risk factors and modifiers for knee osteoarthritis in the 1946 British birth cohort

 

36 years

43 years

53 years

 

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

 

% (N)

% (N)

% (N)

% (N)

% (N)

% (N)

Manual occupation

68.3 (586)

31.7 (272)

36.1 (457)

24.4 (284)

39.1 (564)

28.9 (430)

Non-manual occupation

57.7 (702)

42.3 (513)

63.9 (810)

75.6 (880)

60.9 (877)

71.1 (1058)

p-value a

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

Lifting§ unlikely

58.9 (773)

76.9 (1001)

61.3 (793)

71.1 (975)

62.6 (858)

71.8 (965)

Lifting somewhat likely

21.3 (279)

14.1 (183)

21.8 (282)

18.6 (255)

21.2 (291)

16.1 (217)

Lifting highly likely

19.8 (260)

9.0 (117)

16.9 (218)

10.4 (142)

16.1 (221)

12.1 (163)

p-value a

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

Kneeling§ unlikely

61.9 (812)

45.5 (592)

63.3 (819)

60.6 (831)

67.7 (927)

66.3 (891)

Kneeling somewhat likely

22.4 (294)

46.6 (606)

21.7 (280)

31.1 (427)

18.4 (252)

24.5 (330)

Kneeling highly likely

15.7 (206)

7.9 (103)

15.0 (194)

8.3 (114)

13.9 (191)

9.2 (124)

p-value a

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

Walking§ unlikely

90.8 (1191)

98.2 (1278)

93.0 (1203)

98.2 (1347)

92.1 (1262)

98.1 (1319)

Walking likely

9.2 (9.22)

1.8 (23)

7.0 (90)

1.8 (25)

7.9 (108)

1.9 (26)

p-value a

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

Climbing§ unlikely

90.0 (1181)

96.0 (1249)

90.9 (1175)

95.6 (1312)

91.1 (1248)

94.7 (1273)

Climbing somewhat likely

6.3 (82)

4.0 (52)

5.5 (71)

4.4 (60)

5.0 (69)

5.3 (72)

Climbing highly likely

3.7 (49)

0 (0)

3.6 (47)

0 (0)

3.9 (53)

0 (0)

p-value a

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

Sitting§ unlikely

31.2 (409)

22.4 (291)

31.2 (403)

25.5 (350)

30.2 (414)

28.8 (287)

Sitting somewhat likely

26.8 (351)

51.9 (675)

28.0 (363)

36.0 (494)

24.2 (332)

27.0 (375)

Sitting highly likely

42.0 (552)

25.7 (335)

40.8 (527)

38.5 (528)

45.6 (624)

43.4 (583)

p-value a

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

 

0.096

Physical activity

      

 Inactive

31.2 (405)

41.3 (565)

47.5 (642)

55.0 (784)

48.1 (699)

50.7 (762)

 Less active

26.5 (344)

24.5 (335)

23.5 (318)

23.0 (328)

18.6 (270)

16.1 (242)

 Most active

42.4 (551)

34.3 (469)

29.0 (392)

12.0 (313)

33.3 (484)

33.2 (499)

p-value a

 

<0.001

 

<0.001

 

0.163

  1. a p- values for gender comparison by means of chi square or Fisher’s exact test.
  2. § Lifting: Regular lifting of weights ≥ 25 kg by hand; Kneeling: Bending, kneeling or squatting; Sitting: Sitting >2 hours per day; Climbing: Climbing ladders or >30 flights of stairs; Walking: Walking >2 miles per day.
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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

ISSN: 1471-2474

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