Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the participants

Age (years)

46 ± 13

45 ± 13

<0.001

BMI (kg/m2)

26.5 ± 3.5

25.7 ± 4.4

<0.001

Waist (cm)

96 ± 10

87 ± 12

<0.001

Waist-hip ratio

0.97 ± 0.07

0.87 ± 0.07

<0.001

FT3

5.46 ± 0.53

5.10 ± 0.52

<0.001

FT4

16.1 ± 1.9

15.5 ± 1.8

<0.001

TSH

2.11 ± 0.85

2.20 ± 0.90

<0.001

/obesity (n,%)

35.1/51.0/13.9

37.2/47.9/14.9

NS

Current/never smokers (%)

17.5/42.3

33.1/43.4

<0.001/NS

Systolic BP (mmHg)

131 ± 14

122 ± 15

<0.001

Diastolic BP (mmHg)

77 ± 9

72 ± 9

<0.001

Heart rate (b/min)

70 ± 11

72 ± 10

<0.001

Creatinine (mcmol/l)

83 ± 12

68 ± 9

<0.001

Fasting glucose (mmol/l)

5.2 ± 0.8

4.9 ± 0.7

<0.001

HbA1c (%)

5.6 ± 0.4

5.6 ± 0.4

<0.001

Total cholesterol (mmol/l)

5.16 ± 1.00

5.01 ± 0.98

<0.001

HDL-cholesterol (mmol/l)

1.29 ± 0.31

1.60 ± 0.39

<0.001

LDL-cholesterol (mmol/l)

3.38 ± 0.89

3.06 ± 0.88

<0.001

Triglycerides (mmol/l)

1.15 (0.84–1.66)

0.86 (0.65–1.18)

<0.001

% with metabolic syndrome

20.7

11.8

<0.001

% with type 2 diabetes

2.9

1.7

<0.001