Table 1. Age, smoking, BMI, fat free mass, LTPA and leukocyte telomere length distribution among former athletes and their controls in the clinical study in 2008.

	Endurance n=64	Mixed n=221	Power n=107	All athletes n=392	Controls n=207
Mean age (SD), years p-value n	75.3 (5.5) <.001 64	71.9 (6.0) 1.000 221	72.8 (6.2) .246 107	72.7 (6.1) .024 392	71.6 (5.6) 207
Smokers % (n) p-value n	3.1(2) .153 64	6.8(15) .363 221	2.9(3) .039 104	5.1(20) .014 389	10.4(21) 201
Mean BMI kg/m2 (SD) p-value n	25.0 (3.3) <.001 64	26.1 (3.3) .090 221	28.2 (4.7) .003 107	26.5 (3.9) .285 392	26.8 (3.4) 207
Mean age-adjusted fat free mass (SD) p-value n	57.3 (5.4) .624 57	62.3 (6.5) <.001 214	61.8 (10.9) .003 104	61.4 (8.1) <.001 376	59.4 (6.0) 205
Mean age-adjusted LTPA (SD), METh/wk, p-value n	42.8 (36.6) <.001 62	31.0 (27.3) <.001 219	25.2 (23.2) .252 102	31.4 (28.5) <.001 383	20.5(21.7) 201
Mean LTL (SD) p-value Age-adjusted p-value n Covariate-adjusted p-value n	.77 (.13) 1.000 1.000 62 1.000 50	.78 (.14) 1.000 1.000 215 1.000 195	.77 (.12) 1.000 1.000 104 1.000 86	.77 (0.13) .666 .845 381 .721 331	.78 (.13) 205 183

Pablercentage differences were tested using cross-tabulation and Chi-Square test. Means were compared by one-way ANOVA, and post hoc tests by Bonferroni correction. Ad. justing with other variables was done by general linear model. endurance = long and middle distance running, cross country skiing; mixed = soccer, ice hockey, basketball, track and field: jumpers, sprinters, hurdles, decathletes; power = boxing, wrestling, weight lifting, track and field throwers; BMI = body mass index; LTPA = leisure time physical activity; METh/wk = metabolic equivalent-hours/week; LTL = leukocyte telomere length. Covariate-adjusted for age, fat free mass, LTPA, smoking, alcohol intake, high sensitive C-reactive protein, educational attainment and marital status. p-values are compared to controls.