Table 1

Summary of physical and biological examination variables measured at baseline and follow-up

Measures	Variables	Instrument used where applicable	Baseline	Follow-up
Anthropometrics	Weight	SECA 877	x	x
	Height	SECA 217	x	x
	Waist circumference	Measuring tape	x	x
	Hip circumference	Measuring tape	x	x
	Body fat (bio impedance analysis)	BODYSTAT 1500 MDD analyser for BIA	x
BP, office	Systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse, measured three times	Microlife BP A6 BT	x	x
24 hours ABPM In subsample only	24 hours ABPM	Spacelabs 90207/90217		x
Ankle-Brachial Index	PAD	Ankle-Brachial Index, measured in a supine position after at least 10 min rest	x
Biological samples
On the spot glucose In Ghana only		Nova Xpress meter+StatStrip GLU—test strip	x	x
Glucose metabolism	Glucose HbA1C		x	x
Lipid metabolism	Total cholesterol		x	x
	HDL-C		x	x
	LDL-C		x	x
	Triglycerides		x	x
Inflammation	hsCRP		x	x
Uric acid metabolism	Uric acid		x
Oxidative stress	Ferritin		x
Electrolytes and renal function	Creatinine		x	x
	Albumin		x
	Sodium		x
	Potassium		x
	Calcium		x
Liver metabolism	ALAT		x	x
	ASAT		x	x
	y-GT		x	x
Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system Subsample only	Renin		x
Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system Subsample only	Aldosterone		x
Adipokines Subsample only	Adiponectin		x
	Leptin		x
	Non-esterified fatty acid		x
Urine analysis
Morning void	Albumin		x	x
	Creatinine		x	x
	Sodium		x	x
	Potassium		x	x
24 hours urine collection In subsample only	24 hours albumin			x
	24 hours creatinine			x
	24 hours sodium			x
	24 hours potassium			x
	24 hours urea			x
Stool sample	Microbiome			x
(Epi-)Genetics In subsample only
Epigenetics	DNA methylation	Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip of Illumina (850K)	x	x

	RNA expression analysis			x

ABPM, ambulatory blood pressure measurement; ALAT, alanine transaminase; ASAT, aspartate aminotransferase; BP, blood pressure; HbA1c, hemoglobine A1c; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; hsCRP, high-sensitivity C reactive protein; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; PAD, peripheral artery disease; γGT, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase.