Baseline characteristics of the study participants (n=426)
| Characteristics | Categories | Frequency (percentage) |
| Sociodemographic factors | ||
| Age in years | 60–69 | 229 (53.8) |
| 70 and above | 197 (46.2) | |
| Gender | Males | 160 (38) |
| Females | 266 (62) | |
| Years of education | ≤ 8 | 248 (58.2) |
| Mean (SD)=6.78 (4) | >8 | 178 (41.8) |
| Marital status | Currently married | 275 (64.6) |
| Widowed/separated/ unmarried | 151 (35.4) | |
| Occupation | Pensioner | 127 (29.8) |
| Currently employed | 43 (10.1) | |
| Unemployed | 136 (31.9) | |
| Home maker | 120 (28.2) | |
| Socioeconomic status | APL | 303 (71.1) |
| BPL | 123 (28.9) | |
| Living arrangement | With spouse | 237 (55.6) |
| Relative other than spouse | 164 (38.5) | |
| Alone | 25 (5.9) | |
| Lifestyle factors | ||
| Alcohol user (Men n=160) | Ever users | 81 (50.6) |
| Never users | 79 (49.4) | |
| Alcohol use (Women n=266) | Ever users | 0 (0) |
| Never users | 266 (100) | |
| Tobacco use (Men n=160) | Ever users | 86 (53.8) |
| Never users | 74 (46.2) | |
| Tobacco use (Women n=266) | Ever users | 48 (18) |
| Never users | 218 (82) | |
| Had regular physical activity | Yes | 120 (28.2) |
APL, above poverty line; BPL, below poverty line.