Table 1 Fundamental attributes of the subjects according to the METS-VF quartile

Age (year)

29 ± 15

36 ± 16

42 ± 17

49.5 ± 11

<0.001

Gender (%)

<0.001

 Male

42.48

42.68

48.82

67.14

 Female

57.52

57.32

51.18

32.86

Race (%)

<0.001

 Mexican American

5.54

11.98

13.76

13.05

 Other Hispanic

6.94

7.77

7.99

8.69

 Non-Hispanic White

62.84

56.76

59.62

61.34

 Non-Hispanic Black

11.66

10.77

9.58

11.89

 Other Race

13.02

12.72

9.05

5.03

 PIR

2.24 ± 3.03

2.18 ± 3.03

2.08 ± 3.02

1.96 ± 2.64

0.163

Marital status (%)

<0.001

 Previously married

48.10

64.60

71.31

78.14

 Never married

51.90

35.40

28.69

21.86

Education level (%)

<0.001

 Less than high school

1.88

3.63

5.44

6.50

 High school

7.90

8.80

9.62

11.21

 Above high school

90.22

87.57

84.93

82.29

Total protein (g/dL)

7.14 ± 0.40

7.15 ± 0.41

7.09 ± 0.44

7.11 ± 0.41

0.003

Creatinine (mg/dl)

0.8 ± 0.26

0.79 ± 0.27

0.8 ± 0.27

0.83 ± 0.26

<0.001

BMI (kg/m²)

21.9 ± 3.4

26.4 ± 4.75

30 ± 6.3

33.9 ± 8.4

<0.001

Waist circumference (cm)

79 ± 8.7

91.4 ± 8.95

101 ± 12.2

112 ± 17.2

<0.001

Total cholesterol (mg/dl)

171 ± 44.5

185 ± 49

192 ± 51

196 ± 49.8

<0.001

Triglyceride (mg/dl)

62 ± 44

85 ± 67

102 ± 88.8

118 ± 91

<0.001

HDL (mg/dl)

59 ± 21

52 ± 18

48 ± 17

45 ± 15

<0.001

LDL (mg/dl)

95 ± 41

111 ± 43

116 ± 44.2

119 ± 44

<0.001

Smoked at least 100 cigarettes in life（%）

<0.001

 Yes

37.94

39.90

43.15

50.20

 No

62.06

60.10

56.85

49.80

High blood pressure (%)

<0.001

 Yes

6.43

17.69

28.15

42.35

 No

93.57

82.31

71.85

57.65

Diabetes (%)

<0.001

 Yes

0.60

3.31

4.67

16.64

 No

99.40

96.69

95.33

83.36

Ever have 4/5 or more drinks every day (%)

<0.001

 Yes

12.11

12.74

14.57

21.90

 No

87.89

87.26

85.43

78.10

Sarcopenia (%)

<0.001

 Yes

0.03

0.75

2.96

10.63

 No

99.97

99.25

97.04

89.37

METS-VF

5.27± 0.61

6.02 ± 0.24

6.38 ± 0.16

6.69 ± 0.19

<0.001

Total limb muscle mass (kg)

19.6 ± 8.57

22 ± 8.83

24.2 ± 8.33

27.3 ± 9

<0.001

SMI

0.89 ± 0.38

0.77 ± 0.37

0.75 ± 0.35

0.74 ± 0.32

<0.001