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Table 4 Frequency table showing the associations between the explanatory variables and the four outcome variables for 412 40-yr old Danes (percent and 95% confidence intervals). Estimates with non-overlapping confidence intervals were considered to be significantly different from each other.

From: Self-reported hard physical work combined with heavy smoking or overweight may result in so-called Modic changes

Independent variables

LBPyear

LBPlong

DD

VIP

Smoking

    

None

64 (56–71)

27 (20–33)

51 (44–59)

15 (10–21)

1–19 cig/day

72 (65–79)

20 (14–26)

50 (42–57)

16 (11–22)

≥20 cig/day

73 (62–83)

33 (22–44)

57 (45–69)

26 (15–36)

BMI

    

Underweight

50 (26–74)

15 (-2 -32)

40 (16–63)

10 (-4-24)

Normal weight

69 (62–75)

25 (19–31)

49 (42–55)

18 (13–23)

Overweight

70 (62–79)

28 (19–36)

59(50–68)

20 (13–27)

Heavy overweight

72 (60–83)

22 (11–32)

55 (42–68)

17 (7–26)

Work

    

Sitting

67 (57–77)

20 (12–29)

43 (34–55)

11 (4–18)*

S itting/walking

67 (59–74)

22 (15–29)

58 (49–66)

19 (13–26)

Light physical

68 (59–78)

30 (21–40)

46 (35–56)

10 (3–16)

Hard physical

75 (54–84)

26 (17–36)

58 (48–69)

31 (21–41)*

  1. *The non-overlapping confidence intervals between the "best" and the "worst" categories are written in bold.
  2. LBPyear = LBP some time in the past year.
  3. LBPlong = LBP for altogether at least 30 days in the past year.
  4. DD = disc degeneration as defined in the methods section.
  5. VIP = vertebral inflammatory process as defined in the methods section