Table 1 Characteristics of participants in NOWAC Study by physical activity level at baseline (n = 79,184)

1–2

3–4

5–6

7–8

9–10

Study population (N = 79,184)

3616 (4.6%)

17,360 (21.9%)

34,208 (43.2%)

20,029 (25.3%)

3971 (5.0%)

Mean age (±SE)

52.91 (0.11)

52.00 (0.05)

51.38 (0.03)

51.11 (0.04)

51.65 (0.10)

Person-years at risk ^a

51,685

255,773

503,850

289,189

57,422

Average follow-up time (SD) ^b

14.29 years (4.62)

14.73 years (4.10)

14.73 year (3.93)

14.44 years (3.88)

14.46 years (3.92)

Colon cancer (885)

45 (1.25%)

203 (1.17%)

393 (1.15%)

208 (1.04%)

36 (0.91%)

Rectal cancer (426)

24 (0.66%)

100 (0.58%)

175 (0.51%)

99 (0.49%)

28 (0.71%)

Colorectal cancer (1311)

69 (1.91%)

303 (1.75%)

568 (1.66%)

307 (1.53%)

64 (1.61%)

Mean height in cm (±SE)

165.9 (0.10)

166.1 (0.04)

166.3 (0.03)

166.5 (0.04)

166.1 (0.09)

Mean BMI in kg/m² (±SE)

26.92 (0.09)

25.81 (0.03)

24.61 (0.02)

23.83 (0.02)

23.58 (0.05)

Mean duration of education in years (±SE)

11.46 (0.06)

12.15 (0.03)

12.28 (0.02)

12.62 (0.03)

11.85 (0.06)

Mean alcohol consumption, grams (±SE)

3.25 (0.08)

3.51 (0.03)

3.48 (0.02)

3.64 (0.03)

3.25 (0.07)

Smoking status, n (%)

 Never 29,292 (37.0%)

1081 (29.9%)

6370 (36.7%)

12,871 (37.6%)

7564 (37.8%)

1406 (35.4%)

 Former 26,387 (33.3%)

1104 (30.5%)

5475 (31.5%)

11,335 (33.1%)

7128 (35.6%)

1345 (33.9%)

 Current 23,505 (29.7%)

1431 (39.6%)

5515 (31.8%)

10,002 (29.2%)

5337 (26.7%)

1220 (30.7%)

Mean daily intakes in grams

 Red meat (±SE)

16.45 (0.22)

15.86 (0.09)

15.31 (0.06)

15.19 (0.08)

15.39 (0.20)

 Processed meat (±SE)

35.57 (0.41)

34.69 (0.17)

33.92 (0.12)

32.44 (0.15)

32.72 (0.38)

 Dietary calcium (±SE)

698.16 (5.46)

720.64 (2.29)

748.91 (1.64)

779.19 (2.24)

807.32 (5.67)

 Dietary fibre (±SE)

18.85 (0.12)

20.20 (0.05)

21.45 (0.04)

22.58 (0.05)

23.53 (0.12)