Table 4 Outcomes by time in matched, completing men in mixed-sex model, and difference from women in mixed-sex model

Cardiorespiratory fitness

 VO_2peak (ml/kg/min)

21.8 ± 6.6

26.4 ± 8.2

4.4 ± 4.7***

− 4.5 ± 7.2***

− 4.80***

0.35

− 5.49, − 4.12

 METs

6.3 ± 1.9

7.5 ± 2.4

1.2 ± 1.4***

− 1.4 ± 2.1***

− 1.39***

0.10

− 1.58, − 1.19

Cardiovascular risk factors

 SBP (mmHg)

119.5 ± 16.2

120.6 ± 16.2

1.2 ± 17.1

0.9 ± 23.0

0.37

0.97

− 1.53, 2.28

 DBP (mmHg)

72.1 ± 10.5

72.7 ± 9.2

0.3 ± 10.7

1.1 ± 14.6

0.77

0.61

− 0.43, 1.97

 Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

3.4 ± 1.0

3.5 ± 0.9

0.1 ± 0.7

0.5 ± 2.5**

0.67

0.07

0.54, 0.80

 Triglycerides (mmol/L)

1.3 ± 0.7

1.2 ± 0.6

− 0.1 ± 0.5

0.2 ± 1.0**

0.11*

0.05

0.02, 0.20

 HDL-C (mmol/L)

1.2 ± 0.3

1.3 ± 0.3

0.1 ± 0.2***

0.3 ± 0.5***

0.28***

0.24

0.23, 0.33

 LDL-C (mmol/L)

1.7 ± 0.8

1.7 ± 0.7

− 0.0 ± 0.6

0.2 ± 2.4

0.33***

0.05

0.22, 0.43

 Tobacco use, (% current)

5 (10.6%)

3 (10.3%)

− 2 (7.1%)

3 (3.3%)

N/A

N/A

N/A

 Waist circumference (cm)

97.2 ± 12.1

95.8 ± 12.5

− 1.5 ± 5.1***

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

 BMI (kg/m²)

27.6 ± 4.5

27.4 ± 4.7

− 0.3 ± 1.5**

0.4 ± 7.8

− 0.21

0.31

− 0.81, 0.40

Psychosocial well-being

 Depressive symptoms (CES-D)

9.7 ± 8.1

8.2 ± 7.5

− 1.7 ± 6.0**

4.8 ± 12.9***

3.39***

0.63

2.16, 4.63

 Quality of life (Cantril’s ladder of life)

7.1 ± 1.7

7.4 ± 1.5

0.6 ± 1.5**

− 0.4 ± 2.5

− 0.48**

0.16

− 0.79, − 0.18