Table 2 Metabolic parameters by tertiles of age of starting vegetarian diet.

Omnivores

(n = 129)

Vegetarian < 17 yrs (n = 62)

17 ≦ Vegetarian ≦ 22 yrs (n = 53)

Vegetarian > 22

yrs (n = 56)

4.89(4.70-5.09)

4.45(4.19-4.72)^†

4.32(4.09-4.56)^‡

4.32(4.08-4.56)^‡

0.002

1.38(1.07-1.68)

1.41(1.00-1.83)

1.23(0.86-1.60)

1.32(0.95-1.70)

0.86

1.19(1.14-1.25)

1.19(1.11-1.26)

1.16(1.09-1.22)

1.13(1.06-1.20)

0.48

3.07(2.89-3.24)

2.63(2.39-2.87)^†

2.61(2.40-2.82)^‡

2.57(2.36-2.79)^‡

0.006

1.40(0.76-2.04)

2.53(1.66-3.40)

2.17(1.40-2.94)

2.01(1.22-2.79)

0.39

128(124-132)

114(108-119)^‡

114(110-120)^‡

117(112-122)^‡

0.001

79(77-82)

71(67-74)^‡

71(68-74)^‡

73(69-76)^‡

0.003

0.62(0.60-0.64)

0.57(0.55-0.60)^†

0.57(0.54-0.59)^‡

0.58(0.55-0.60)^‡

0.016

18.8(16.9-20.9)

23.3(20.1-27.0)

21.4(18.8-24.3)

17.4(15.3-19.8)

0.050

120.8 (111.8-129.8)

79.2(66.7-91.7) ^‡

85.9(75.0-96.8) ^‡

76.6(65.6-87.6) ^‡

< 0.001