Table 1

Characteristics of the participants

Variables
N
Arithmetic mean (SD)
Geometric mean
Range

Age (years)
205
52.1 (28.3)

40 – 73
Gender (%)
205



     Female

120 (58.6%)


     Male

85 (41.5%)


Mercury (nmol/L)§
205
132.9 (329.8)
97.8
2.4 – 760.0
Fasting insulin (pmol/L)§
203
68.9 (204.5)
52.1
13.0 – 448.0
Fasting glucose (mmol/L)§
202
4.9 (3.7)
4.8
2.8 – 15.1
HOMA-IR §
201
16.9 (77.3)
11.0
1.9 – 244.3
Total-Cholesterol (mmol/L)
202
5.4 (2.8)

3.3 – 8.2
LDL-Cholesterol (mmol/L)
202
3.1 (2.7)

0.7 – 6.1
HDL-Cholesterol (mmol/L)
202
1.7 (1.6)

0.8 – 4.3
Triglycerides (mmol/L)§
202
1.3 (2.4)
1.1
0.3 – 5.5
EPA (% fatty acids)§
205
2.5 (4.2)
2.1
0.50 – 7.27
DHA (% fatty acids)
205
6.7 (5.1)

1.56 – 10.09
WC (cm)
204
96.0 (41)

66.0 – 136.0
Smoking habits (%)
198



     Daily smoker

116 (59.0%)


     Occasionally

7 (3.5%)


     Not at all

75 (37.9%)


Physical activity (kcal/kg/week) &
130
43.9 (186)
20.2
0 – 364
Total income (%)
169



     Less than $20,000

80 (47.3%)


     $20,000 to less than $40,000

46 (27.2%)


     $40,000 to less than $60,000

31 (18.3%)


     $60,000 or more

12 (7.1%)


Alcohol consumption (%)
177



     Yes

141 (79.7%)


     No

36 (20.3%)



§ Variables not normally distributed; HOMA-IR: insulin sensitivity; EPA: Eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: Docosahexaenoic acid; WC: Waist circumference; LDL-cholesterol: Low density lipoprotein; HDL-cholesterol: high density lipoprotein;

&Physical activity was calculated as: MET = duration*frequency*intensity of the exercise.

Valera et al. Environmental Health 2008 7:29   doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-29