Country specific baseline characteristics of the random subcohort were similar to those in the overall EPIC population eligible for inclusion for each country (online appendix; table ST2). The mean age of participants in the random subcohort was 52.5 years, a total of 38.4% were men (online appendix; table ST2). Average BMI and waist were 26.1 kg/m2 and 86.8 cm (26.7 kg/m2 and 95.4 cm in men, 25.8 kg/m2 and 81.6 cm in women), respectively. A total of 57.0% of participants reported being physically inactive or moderately inactive, 34.6% were educated at secondary level or above, and 46.4% never smoked. Family history of diabetes was not ascertained in Italy, Spain, Heidelberg or Oxford; 8,832 of the 16,835 subcohort participants had information on family history, in whom it was positive in 1,628 individuals (18.4% of those with data, or 9.7% of the subcohort).
