Table 2

Age adjusted prevalence of coronary heart disease and age adjusted means and prevalences of coronary heart disease risk factors by season of birth

Summer June 21 to Sept 22 (n = 1120)Autumn Sept 23 to Dec 21 (n = 1007)Winter Dec 22 to March 20 (n = 1042)Spring March 21 to June 20 (n = 1117)Difference between seasons of birth (p value)
Values are mean (95% confidence interval).
*Geometric mean.
BMI, body mass index; CHD, coronary heart disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in one second; HDLC, high density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDLC, low density lipoprotein cholesterol.
CHD (%)15.2 (13.2 to 17.5)15.0 (12.9 to 17.3)19.8 (17.5 to 22.3)15.2 (13.2 to 17.4)0.008
Metabolic risk factors
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)147.6 (146.1 to 149.2)147.4 (145.8 to 149.0)147.4 (145.8 to 149.0)146.1 (144. 6 to 147.6)0.51
Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)79.6 (78.9 to 80.4)79.6 (78.9 to 80.4)79.5 (78.8 to 80.3)78.9 (78.2 to 79.6)0.47
LDLC (mmol/l)4.17 (4.10 to 4.24)4.17 (4.10 to 4.24)4.11 (4.04 to 4.18)4.12 (4.07 to 4.19)0.56
HDLC (mmol/l)1.66 (1.63 to 1.68)1.64 (1.61 to 1.66)1.66 (1.63 to 1.69)1.67 (1.64 to 1.70)0.37
Triglycerides (mmol/l)*1.65 (1.60 to 1.70)1.68 (1.63 to 1.73)1.68 (1.63 to 1.73)1.66 (1.62 to 1.72)0.69
Insulin resistance (HOMA score)*1.65 (1.58 to 1.72)1.62 (1.54 to 1.68)1.68 (1.60 to 1.75)1.72 (1.65 to 1.79)0.15
Diabetes (%)6.9 (5.5 to 8.7)8.7 (7.0 to 10.7)6.8 (5.4 to 8.6)6.7 (5.3 to 8.4)0.28
Anthropometric measures
Birth weight (kg)3.29 (3.21 to 3.37)3.29 (3.21 to 3.38)3.21 (3.12 to 3.29)3.33 (3.25 to 3.41)0.17
Offspring birth weight (kg)3.22 (3.18 to 3.25)3.24 (3.20 to 3.28)3.26 (3.22 to 3.29)3.25 (3.22 to 3.29)0.42
Weight (kg)69.0 (68.2 to 69.8)69.5 (68.7 to 70.3)69.5 (68.7 to 70.3)70.3 (69.5 to 71.1)0.62
BMI (kg/m2)27.5 (27.2 to 27.8)27.5 (27.2 to 27.8)27.6 (27.3 to 27.9)27.9 (27.6 to 28.2)0.31
Obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) (%)25.7 (23.2 to 28.5)25.2 (22.6 to 28.1)26.8 (24.1 to 29.7)28.0 (25.4 to 30.9)0.48
Waist–hip ratio0.817 (0.813 to 0.821)0.820 (0.816 to 0.825)0.820 (0.815 to 0.824)0.819 (0.814 to 0.823)0.77
Height (m)1.582 (1.579 to 1.586)1.590 (1.586 to 1.594)1.587 (1.584 to 1.592)1.586 (1.582 to 1.590)0.10
Leg length (m)0.755 (0.752 to 0.758)0.759 (0.756 to 0.762)0.759 (0.756 to 0.761)0.757 (0.754 to 0.759)0.07
Trunk length (m)0.829 (0.827 to 0.831)0.832 (0.830 to 0.834)0.829 (0.826 to 0.831)0.832 (0.829 to 0.834)0.15
Smoking and lung function
Ever smoked (%)43.8 (40.9 to 46.7)42.9 (39.8 to 46.0)44.2 (41.2 to 47.3)46.9 (43.9 to 49.8)0.28
Current smoker (%)11.4 (9.7 to 13.4)11.3 (9.5 to 13.4)10.9 (9.2 to 13.0)12.8 (10.9 to 15.0)0.55
FEV1 (l)1.97 (1.94 to 2.00)1.99 (1.96 to 2.02)1.95 (1.92 to 1.98)1.97 (1.94 to 2.00)0.09
Social class and education
Adult manual social class (%)51.0 (47.8 to 54.1)50.7 (47.4 to 54.0)51.8 (48.6 to 55.1)52.8 (50.0 to 55.9)0.80
Childhood manual social class (%)77.1 (74.3 to 79.6)76.8 (73.9 to 79.5)77.7 (74.8 to 80.3)75.3 (72.5 to 77.9)0.67
Age at completion of full time education (years)15.9 (15.7 to 16.2)15.7 (15.5 to 16.0)15.6 (15.3 to 15.8)15.9 (15.6 to 16.1)0.23