Table 1 Demographic characteristics of the study populations in arsenic-endemic and non-endemic areas

Subjects (n)

236

61

175

  Male

125

33

92

  Female

111

28

83

Age (yrs.)^a

35.69 ± 10.13

33.92 ± 9.18

36.30 ± 10.40

0.114^*

IQR

28.00–43.74

27.00–40.00

28.00–45.00

0.079^‡

BMI (kg/m²)^a

20.94 ± 3.57

20.76 ± 2.77

21.00 ± 3.82

0.655^*

IQR

18.54–22.57

18.71–22.51

18.37–23.00

0.922^‡

0.795^†

  Farmers

97 (77.60)

24 (72.70)

73 (79.30)

  Business

5 (4.00)

1 (3.00)

4 (4.30)

  Students

5 (4.00)

2 (6.10)

3 (3.30)

  Worker

10 (8.00)

4 (12.30)

6 (6.50)

   ⁺Others

8 (6.40)

2 (6.10)

6 (6.50)

0.194^†

  Housewives

105 (94.60)

25 (89.3)

80 (96.40)

  Students

4 (3.60)

2 (7.10)

2 (2.40)

   ^‡Others

2 (1.80)

1 (3.60)

1 (1.20)

  No formal education

142 (60.20)

31 (50.82)

111 (63.43)

0.138^†

  Primary

66 (28.00)

18 (29.51)

48 (27.43)

  Secondary

19 (8.10)

8 (13.11)

11 (6.30)

  Higher

9 (3.80)

4 (6.60)

5 (2.90)

Income/month (US$)^a

23.45 ± 10.41

22.67 ± 8.89

23.72 ± 10.89

0.457^*

  Yes

43 (34.40)

13 (39.40)

30 (32.60)

0.309^†

  No

82 (65.60)

20 (60.60)

62 (67.40)

Alcohol intake

–

–

–

–