Table 2 Characteristics of the study participants

Age, y

45.6 ± 14.8

46.7 ± 15.7

44.6 ± 13.8^*

BMI, kg/m²

27.9 ± 5.2

27.4 ± 4.4

28.2 ± 5.7^*

Waist circumference, cm

93.5 ± 12.5

95.9 ± 11.6

91.5 ± 12.9^*

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

114 ± 17

119 ± 16

109 ± 17^*

Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg

75.6 ± 10.5

78.2 ± 10.4

73.4 ± 10.2^*

Casual urinary Cr, mmol/L

13.8 ± 6.1

14.2 ± 6.0

13.5 ± 6.2^*

Estimated^† 24-h urinary Cr, mmol/d

13.0 ± 4.0

16.5 ± 3.3

10.0 ± 10.3^*

Casual urinary Na, mmol/L

135 ± 56.5

143 ± 54.9

127 ± 56.8^*

Casual urinary K, mmol/L

71.6 ± 36.2

72.8 ± 35.3

70.7 ± 36.9

Casual urinary Na-to-K ratio

2.28 ± 1.39

2.39 ± 1.45

2.19 ± 1.34^*

FFQ-estimated^‡ Na intake, mmol/d

144 ± 36.3

142 ± 37.3

145 ± 35.4

FFQ-estimated^‡ K intake, mmol/d

109 ± 28.5

104 ± 28.6

112 ± 28.2^*

FFQ-estimated Na-to-K ratio

1.48 ± 2.16

1.59 ± 3.14

1.38 ± 0.57

Energy intake, kcal/d

2300 ± 811

2501 ± 896

2134 ± 690^*

Dietary protein, g/d

90 ± 41.6

98.4 ± 44.9

83.0 ± 37.2^*

Dietary fat, g/d

75.7 ± 32.5

79.7 ± 36.7

72.4 ± 28.2^*

Dietary carbohydrate, g/d

342 ± 125

376 ± 135

313 ± 108^*

Dietary fiber, g/d

45.1 ± 22.3

49.3 ± 23.9

41.6 ± 20.2^*

Physical activity, METs h/week

69.4 ± 42.6

85.6 ± 46.5

56.1 ± 33.8^*

Current smoking, %

16.7

30.2

5.40^*

Educational level

 Illiterate, %

1.50

1.00

2.00^*

 Diploma, %

59.5

58.6

60.3

 Academic, %

40.5

41.4

39.7