Table 1 baseline characteristics of participants, stratified by sex, ethnicity and age group

Dutch men

18–39 years

(n = 59)

Dutch men

40–55 years

(n = 57)

Dutch men

56–70 years

(n = 58)

Dutch women

18–39 years

(n = 68)

Dutch women

40–55 years

(n = 55)

Dutch women

56–70 years

(n = 53)

Age (years)

31.3 (4.8)

46.8 (4.4)

62.0 (4.5)

29.4 (5.6)

47.7 (4.4)

61.0 (3.9)

BMI (kg/m²)

23.6 (3.9)

25.2 (3.9)

26.1 (3.8)

22.5 (3.1)

24.3 (4.0)

24.8 (3.3)

Waist circumference (cm)

86.9 (12.3)

94.3 (11.2)

97.6 (11.3)

79.5 (9.0)

86.9 (12.2)

88.0 (10.2)

Energy intake (Kcal)^a

2411 (1937–2900)

2516 (2226–2855)

2377 (1976–2921)

1948 (1425–2424)

1967 (1605–2161)

1792 (1496–2199)

Fatty acids intake (g)^a

93.1 (79.5–109.1)

92.8 (74.4–92.8)

86.5 (65.7–114.2)

75.3 (49.4–93.0)

74.5 (47.3–85.3)

64.3 (52.8–94.3)

Alanine (μmol/L)

310 (70)

324 (65)

319 (53)

280 (65)

306 (63)

305 (67)

Glycine (μmol/L)

154 (127–154)

144 (124–169)

151 (131–184)

145 (112–180)

160 (131–202)

182 (149–213)

Serine (μmol/L)

91 (83–103)

89 (80–99)

92 (83–102)

96 (85–112)

91 (82 - 107)

99 (84–108)

Menopause (%)

-

-

-

0.0 (0)

25.5 (14)

96.2 (51)

Cholesterol lowering medication (%)

0.0 (0)

3.5 (2)

12.1 (7)

0.0 (11)

0.0 (0)

5.6 (13.2)

Blood pressure medication (%)

0.0 (0)

3.5 (2)

27.6 (16)

2.9 (2)

3.6 (2)

18.9 (10)

SA Sur men

18–39 years

(n = 53)

SA Sur men

40–55 years

(n = 75)

SA Sur men

56–70 years

(n = 26)

SA Sur women

18–39 years

(n = 63)

SA Sur women

40–55 years

(n = 84)

SA Sur women

56–70 years

(n = 49)

Age (years)

28.4 (5.7)

47.0 (4.0)

61.5 (4.3)

28.5 (5.7)

47.8 (4.3)

59.9 (4.1)

BMI (kg/m²)

25.0 (3.9)

25.6 (3.3)

25.9 (3.7)

24.9 (5.4)

26.1 (4.5)

26.7 (4.6)

Waist circumference (cm)

89.7 (11.5)

93.1 (10.7)

96.0 (9.2)

83.8 (14.5)

88.5 (11.0)

92.6 (12.6)

Energy intake (Kcal)^a

2585 (1381–3092)

2099 (1772–2491)

2168 (1917–3224)

1933 (1228–2212)

1794 (1531–2168)

1761 (1296–1959)

Fatty acids intake (g)^a

81.6 (39.2–117.3)

62.1 (56.2–82.5)

64.2 (56.5–100.4)

58.2 (39.6–74.4)

57.2 (47.3–76.5)

50.1 (38.7–69.2)

Alanine (μmol/L)

339 (79)

353 (78)

355 (63)

316 (80)

319 (65)

341 (60)

Glycine (μmol/L)

131 (119–154)

138 (120–159)

139 (127–163)

138 (115–176)

145 (118–177)

155 (126–193)

Serine (μmol/L)

95 (87–108)

96 (87–108)

85 (76–99)

100 (84–111)

95 (80–109)

94 (77–107)

Menopause (%)

-

-

-

4.8 (3)

26.2 (22)

81.6 (40)

Cholesterol lowering medication (%)

3.8 (2)

20.0 (15)

46.2 (12)

0.0 (0)

2.4 (2)

18.4 (9)

Blood pressure medication (%)

1.9 (1)

17.3 (13)

53.8 (14)

3.2 (2)

13.1 (11)

38.8 (19)