Table 1 Participant demographics
From: An investigation of the diet, exercise, sleep, BMI, and health outcomes of autistic adults
Characteristics | Autism (n = 1183) | Controls (n = 1203) | p-values (signif. level) |
|---|---|---|---|
Age (years), mean (SD) | 41.04 (14.41) | 41.86 (15.59) | 0.344 |
Age (years), categories, N (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 16–29 | 303 (25.61) | 311 (25.85) |  |
 30–39 | 250 (21.13) | 240 (19.95) |  |
 40–49 | 252 (21.30) | 252 (20.95) |  |
 50–59 | 214 (18.09) | 206 (17.12) |  |
 60–69 | 113 (9.55) | 127 (10.56) |  |
 70+ | 25 (2.11) | 52 (4.32) |  |
 Missing | 26 (2.20) | 15 (1.25) |  |
Biological sex, N (%) |  |  | 4.48 × 10–3 (**) |
 Female | 746 (63.06) | 825 (68.58) |  |
 Male | 437 (36.94) | 378 (31.42) |  |
 Missing | 0 | 0 |  |
Ethnicity, N (%) |  |  | 6.79 × 10–3 (**) |
 White | 1045 (88.33) | 1020 (84.78) |  |
 Non-White | 135 (11.42) | 183 (15.21) |  |
 Mixed Race | 77 (6.51) | 73 (6.07) |  |
 Asian | 18 (1.52) | 43 (3.57) |  |
 Latin American/Hispanic | 7 (0.59) | 23 (1.91) |  |
 Arab/Middle Eastern | 0 | 17 (1.41) |  |
 Jewish | 16 (1.35) | 17 (1.41) |  |
 African/Black/Caribbean | 6 (0.51) | 9 (0.75) |  |
 Other | 11 (0.93) | 1(0.08) |  |
 Missing | 3 (0.25) | 0 |  |
Education, N (%) |  |  | 2.68 × 10–17 (***) |
 No formal qualifications | 57 (4.82) | 14 (1.16) |  |
 Further vocational qualifications | 215 (18.17) | 138 (11.47) |  |
 Secondary school/high school | 211 (17.84) | 171 (14.21) |  |
 University undergraduate | 354 (29.92) | 354 (29.43) |  |
 University postgraduate | 344 (29.08) | 523 (43.47) |  |
 Missing | 2 (0.17) | 3 (0.25) |  |
Country of residence |  |  | 2.59 × 10–5 (***) |
 UK | 842 (71.17) | 759 (63.09) |  |
 USA | 120 (10.14) | 174 (14.46) |  |
 Germany | 31 (2.62) | 33 (2.74) |  |
 Australia | 33 (2.79) | 20 (1.66) |  |
 Other | 156 (13.19) | 214 (17.79) |  |
 Missing | 1 (0.08) | 3 (0.25) |  |
Body mass index (kg/m2), mean (SD) | 27.07 (7.52) | 26.05 (6.22) | 2.25 × 10–3 (***) |
Body mass index, categories, N (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Underweight | 73 (6.32) | 35 (2.96) |  |
 Normal weight | 459 (39.71) | 608 (51.35) |  |
 Overweight | 308 (26.64) | 300 (25.34) |  |
 Obese | 316 (27.34) | 241 (20.36) |  |
 Missing | 27 (2.28) | 19 (1.58) |  |
Most frequent smoking, N (%) | Â | Â | 0.030 (*) |
 Never | 802 (67.79) | 776 (64.51) |  |
 Monthly | 2 (0.17) | 9 (0.75) |  |
 Weekly | 25 (2.11) | 40 (3.33) |  |
 Daily | 354 (29.92) | 377 (31.34) |  |
 Missing | 0 | 1 (0.08) |  |
Current alcohol frequency, N (%) |  |  | 6.54 × 10–21 (***) |
 0 days per week | 693 (58.58) | 465 (38.65) |  |
 1–2 days per week | 300 (25.36) | 470 (39.07) |  |
 3–5 days per week | 119 (10.06) | 183 (15.21) |  |
 6–7 days per week | 70 (5.92) | 84 (6.98) |  |
 Missing | 1 (0.08) | 1 (0.08) |  |
Intellectual disability (ID), N (%) |  |  | 5.40 × 10–4 (***) |
 Self-identified | 21 (1.78) | 4 (0.33) |  |