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Table 1 Demographic, lifestyle, alimentary characteristics, and oxidative stress (by FORT units) of 144 study sportswomen, comparison between the 42 OC users and 102 non-OC users

From: Oxidative Stress in Female Athletes Using Combined Oral Contraceptives

Characteristic

All athletes

(n = 144)

mean ± SD or n (%)

OC users

(n = 42)

mean ± SD or n (%)

Non-OC users

(n = 102)

mean ± SD or n (%)

p

Sport activity, hours week−1

9.2 ± 4.15

9.3 ± 5.60

9.1 ± 3.40

0.64b

Elite athletes (national/international), n (%)

27 (18.7)

7 (16.7)

20 (19.6)

0.68c

Age, years

23.4 ± 4.17

23.4 ± 3.62

23.4 ± 4.40

0.67b

Weight, kg

61.5 ± 8.69

61.2 ± 7.79

61.6 ± 9.07

0.86b

Height, cm

170 ± 6.81

170 ± 6.97

170 ± 6.76

0.76b

BMI, kg m−2

21.2 ± 2.20

21.2 ± 2.02

21.1 ± 2.28

0.78b

University education, n (%)

104 (72.2)

34 (81.0)

70 (68.6)

0.13c

Married or separated/divorced, n (%)

12 (8.3)

1 (2.4)

11 (10.8)

0.18d

Nulliparity, n (%)

143 (99.3)

42 (100)

101 (99.0)

1.00d

Smokers, n (%)

33 (22.9)

14 (33.3)

19 (18.6)

0.06c

Cigarettes, day−1

1.1 ± 3.05

1.4 ± 2.41

1.0 ± 3.28

0.06b

Coffee drinkers, n (%)

116 (80.6)

32 (76.1)

84 (82.4)

0.40c

Coffee, cups day−1

1.5 ± 1.14

1.3 ± 1.12

1.6 ± 1.15

0.13b

Tea drinkers, n (%)

104 (72.2)

34 (81.0)

70 (68.6)

0.13c

Tea, cups day−1

0.5 ± 0.65

0.7 ± 0.62

0.4 ± 0.52

0.018b

Milk, cups week−1

4.1 ± 3.68

3.0 ± 2.98

4.5 ± 3.86

0.012b

Chocolate, 50 g servings week−1

2.0 ± 1.91

1.3 ± 1.35

2.3 ± 2.05

0.010b

Bread, 50 g servings week−1

7.0 ± 3.51

6.8 ± 3.85

7.0 ± 3.36

0.62b

Rice, 80 g servings week−1

1.2 ± 1.05

1.2 ± 0.86

1.2 ± 1.13

0.24b

Pasta, 100 g servings week−1

3.8 ± 1.80

3.6 ± 1.50

3.9 ± 1.92

0.55b

Fruits, 200 g servings week−1

7.0 ± 5.36

6.4 ± 3.91

7.2 ± 5.87

0.87b

Tomato/eggplant/pepper, plates week−1

2.2 ± 2.08

2.6 ± 1.99

2.1 ± 2.12

0.12b

Fresh vegetables, plates week−1

7.9 ± 4.23

7.7 ± 4.22

8.1 ± 4.25

0.35b

Legumes, plates week−1

0.7 ± 0.84

0.9 ± 1.11

0.6 ± 0.67

0.17b

Cheese, 50 g servings week−1

2.8 ± 2.06

2.5 ± 1.79

2.9 ± 2.16

0.45b

Eggs, number week−1

0.9 ± 0.70

0.8 ± 0.73

0.9 ± 0.69

0.24b

Red meat, 150 g servings week−1

1.7 ± 1.14

1.7 ± 1.07

1.7 ± 1.18

0.82b

Total meat (any type), 150 g servings week−1

4.0 ± 1.75

3.7 ± 1.62

4.2 ± 1.80

0.26b

Sausages, 50 g servings week−1

1.82 ± 1.42

1.7 ± 1.09

1.9 ± 1.54

0.77b

Fish, 200 g servings week−1

1.1 ± 0.86

1.1 ± 0.87

1.1 ± 0.86

0.97b

Yogurt, 125 g servings week−1

2.0 ± 2.10

2.1 ± 2.12

2.0 ± 2.11

0.64b

Sweet cakes, 50 g servings week−1

5.2 ± 3.48

4.6 ± 3.74

5.5 ± 3.34

0.11b

Wine, 125 mL glasses week−1

0.8 ± 1.38

1.0 ± 1.46

0.8 ± 1.35

0.46b

Beer, 200 mL glasses week−1

1.4 ± 2.18

2.1 ± 3.13

1.1 ± 1.53

0.10b

Spirits, 40 mL glasses week−1

0.3 ± 0.57

0.3 ± 0.46

0.3 ± 0.61

0.62b

Total alcohol grams week−1

40 ± 49.9

52 ± 67.2

35 ± 39.6

0.25b

Supplement use, n (%)

34 (23.6)

14 (33.3)

20 (19.6)

0.08c

  1. BMI body mass index
  2. aItalian espresso coffee cups
  3. b p comparison of OC users and non-OC users by two-tailed Mann-Whitney test
  4. c p comparison of OC users and non-OC users by two-tailed Pearson’s chi-squared test, as appropriate
  5. d p comparison of OC users and non-OC users by two-tailed Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate