Table 1 Baseline characteristics of overall study participants and by levels of total magnesium intake, VITAL Cohort Study, 2000–2008a

From: Magnesium intake and incidence of pancreatic cancer: the VITamins and Lifestyle study

    

Levels of magnesium intake

 
 

Total ( n =66 806)

⩾100% RDA ( n =35 348)

75–99% RDA ( n =17 063)

<75% RDA ( n =14 395)

 

Characteristics

Mean (s.d.)

Median (IQR)

%

Mean (s.d.)

Median (IQR)

%

Mean (s.d.)

Median (IQR)

%

Mean (s.d.)

Median (IQR)

%

P -value b

Magnesium intake (mg per day)

405.09 (169.75)

  

518.51 (148.94)

  

326.74 (50.79)

  

219.43 (53.53)

   

Calcium intake (mg per day)

914.0 (510.4)

  

1130.3 (552.8)

  

769.5 (326.4)

  

554.0 (251.0)

  

<0.01

Selenium (mcg per day)

114.5 (52.4)

  

135.9 (55.3)

  

101.4 (37.5)

  

77.4 (29.9)

  

<0.01

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (g per week)

1.8 (1.0)

  

2.1 (1.1)

  

1.7 (0.8)

  

1.3 (0.7)

  

<0.01

Total calories (kcal per day)

1860.6 (773.6)

  

2190.1 (800.8)

  

1661.4 (555.8)

  

1287.4 (440.3)

  

<0.01

Age, years

61.7 (7.4)

  

61.8 (7.4)

  

61.7 (7.4)

  

61.6 (7.5)

  

0.09

BMI (kg m−2)

27.4 (5.2)

  

27.3 (5.2)

  

27.5 (5.1)

  

27.6 (5.2)

  

<0.01

Female (%)

  

50.5

  

52.7

  

47.8

  

48.6

<0.01

White (%)

  

93.6

  

94.6

  

93.6

  

91.1

<0.01

Education (%)

            

<0.01

 High school graduate or less

  

18.7

  

16.0

  

19.1

  

24.9

 

 Some college

  

38.0

  

36.5

  

38.8

  

40.6

 

 College or advanced degree

  

43.3

  

47.5

  

42.1

  

34.5

 

Physical activity (MET hours per week)

 

6.1 (1.3–15.5)

  

7.3 (2.0–17.5)

  

5.4 (1.2–14.6)

  

3.9 (0.6–11.7)

 

<0.01

Smoking (pack-years)

 

0.9 (0.0–22.5)

  

0.3 (0.0–20.0)

  

0.9 (0.0–25.0)

  

1.9 (0.0–25.0)

 

<0.01

Alcohol consumption (g per day)

 

1.6 (0.0–10.6)

  

2.1 (0.0–11.0)

  

1.6 (0.0–10.4)

  

1.2 (0.0–8.7)

 

<0.01

Diabetes mellitus (%)

  

6.6

  

6.2

  

6.6

  

7.5

<0.01

Family history of pancreatic cancer (%)

  

2.9

  

3.0

  

2.9

  

2.7

0.19

  1. Abbreviations: BMI=body mass index; IQR=interquartile range; MET=metabolic equivalent; RDA=recommended daily allowance; VITAL=Vitamins and Lifestyle.
  2. The magnesium intake RDA cutoff points used are in females 240 mg (75% RDA) and 320 mg (100% RDA) and in males 315 mg (75% RDA) and 420 g (100% RDA).
  3. aMagnesium intake includes both dietary and supplemental sources.
  4. bP-values for any difference across the three groups were calculated using analysis of variance (continuous variables that are normally distributed), Kruskal–Wallis test (continuous variables that are not normally distributed or ordinal variables) or χ2-test (proportions) as appropriate.
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