Baseline characteristics of participants studied.

Data are presented as median (5 percentile, 95 percentile) or percent. Chi-square test for categorical variables, the unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables. BMI, body mass index; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; TC, total cholesterol; HDL-C, high density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C, low density lipoprotein cholesterol; TG, triglycerides; FPG, Fasting plasma glucose; hs-CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; MetS, metabolic syndrome. a Information on BMI was available for 3908 men and 4482 women. b Information on waist circumference was available for 3898 men and 4461 women. c Information on SBP and DBP was available for 3937 men and 4499 women.