Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of the participants in the full sample and according to sex (N = 32,622; NutriNet-Santé cohort; 2021–2022; France)

Age, years, mean (SD)

57.9

(14.2)

62.6

(13.6)

56.3

(14.0)

< 0.001

Age category

 18–39 years

4,305

(13.2)

618

(7.4)

3,687

(15.2)

< 0.001

 40–59 years

11,560

(35.4)

2,360

(28.4)

9,200

(37.8)

 ≥ 60 years

16,757

(51.4)

5,329

(64.2)

11,428

(47.0)

Educational level

 Less than high school

4,024

(12.3)

1,221

(14.7)

2,803

(11.5)

< 0.001

 High school diploma or equivalent

5,033

(15.4)

1,347

(16.2)

3,686

(15.2)

 Some college, undergraduate

10,197

(31.3)

2,122

(25.5)

8,075

(33.2)

 Graduate degree

13,368

(41.0)

3,617

(43.5)

9,751

(40.1)

Type of professional activity

 Mostly sedentary

12,874

(39.5)

2,702

(32.5)

10,172

(41.8)

< 0.001

 Mostly active

4,520

(13.9)

865

(10.4)

3,655

(15.0)

 Retired

14,574

(44.7)

4,685

(56.4)

9,889

(40.7)

 Other^b

654

(2.0)

55

(0.7)

599

(2.5)

Prior divorce

 No

24,704

(75.7)

6,343

(76.4)

18,361

(75.5)

0.12

 Yes

7,918

(24.3)

1,964

(23.6)

5,954

(24.5)

Current household financial situation

 Comfortable, good

27,612

(84.6)

7,243

(87.2)

20,369

(83.8)

< 0.001

 Barely making it

4,862

(14.9)

1,031

(12.4)

3,831

(15.8)

 In debt

148

(0.5)

33

(0.4)

115

(0.5)

Self-perceived health status

 Very good, good

22,094

(67.7)

5,614

(67.6)

16,480

(67.8)

0.81

 Acceptable

8,925

(27.4)

2,274

(27.4)

6,651

(27.4)

 Poor or very poor

1,603

(4.9)

419

(5.0)

1,184

(4.9)

Self-perceived dietary quality

 Excellent, very good

13,013

(39.9)

3,608

(43.4)

9,405

(38.7)

< 0.001

 Good, acceptable

19,171

(58.8)

4,615

(55.6)

14,556

(59.9)

 Poor

438

(1.3)

84

(1.0)

354

(1.5)

Body mass index (BMI; kg/m²), mean (SD)

24.3

(4.7)

25.1

(3.9)

24.0

(4.9)

< 0.001

BMI category

 Underweight (< 18.5)

1,614

(5.0)

101

(1.2)

1,513

(6.2)

< 0.001

 Normal weight (18.5–24.9)

19,289

(59.1)

4,482

(54.0)

14,807

(60.9)

 Overweight (25.0–29.9)

8,197

(25.1)

2,864

(34.5)

5,333

(21.9)

 Obesity (≥ 30.0)

3,522

(10.8)

860

(10.4)

2,662

(11.0)

Tobacco smoking status

 Never smoker

21,243

(65.1)

4,847

(58.4)

16,396

(67.4)

< 0.001

 Former smoker

8,841

(27.1)

2,911

(35.0)

5,930

(24.4)

 Current smoker

2,538

(7.8)

549

(6.6)

1,989

(8.2)

Current e-cigarette use

 No

31,831

(97.6)

8,130

(97.9)

23,701

(97.5)

0.09

 Yes, without nicotine

128

(0.4)

25

(0.3)

103

(0.4)

 Yes, with nicotine

663

(2.0)

152

(1.8)

511

(2.1)

Alcohol use, # glasses/week^c

 0

4,735

(14.5)

769

(9.3)

3,966

(16.3)

< 0.001

 < 2

15,198

(46.6)

3,035

(36.5)

12,163

(50.0)

 2–6

11,275

(34.6)

3,747

(45.1)

7,528

(31.0)

 ≥ 7

1,414

(4.3)

756

(9.1)

658

(2.7)