Table 3 Descriptive statistics at first instance of reported employment (n; (%))

Outcome Variables (Mean (SD))

Physical Activity

(MET-min/day)

650.1(643.3)

439.1 (475.5)

Sleep (hours)

7.3 (1.2)

7.3 (1.2)

Vegetable Portions

1.7 (1.6)

1.9 (1.6)

Fruit Portions

1.2 (1.2)

1.4 (1.3)

Individual Characteristics

Age (Mean (SD))

21.3 (3.1)

21.6 (3.5)

Ethnicity (n (%))

White

958 (67.8)

1347 (71.3)

Asian

283 (20.1)

331 (17.5)

Black

90 (6.4)

104 (5.5)

Multiple

66 (4.7)

81 (4.3)

Other

13 (0.9)

27 (1.4)

Missing

2 (0.3)

0 (0)

Wave first started work

(n (%))

8 (2016–2018)

273 (19.3)

303 (16.0)

9 (2017–2019)

288 (20.3)

484 (25.6)

10 (2018–2020)

282 (20.0)

337 (17.8)

11 (2019–2021)

202 (14.3)

308 (16.3)

12 (2020–2022)

181 (12.8)

227 (12.0)

13 (2021–2023)

186 (13.2)

231 (12.2)

Education (n (%))

No University Degree

885 (62.7)

1097 (58.0)

University Degree or higher

510 (36.1)

766 (40.5)

Missing

17 (1.2)

27 (1.4)

NS-SEC (n (%))

Low

718 (50.9)

983(52.0)

High

482 (34.1)

718 (38.0)

Missing

212 (15.0)

189 (10.0)

Parental Education (n (%))

No University Degree

688 (48.7)

823 (43.5)

University Degree or higher

635 (45.0)

826 (43.7)

Missing

89 (6.3)

241 (12.8)

Job Characteristics

Commute Behaviour (n (%))

Inactive

551(39.0)

914 (48.4)

Active

508 (36.0)

656 (34.7)

No Commute

66 (4.7)

62 (3.3)

Missing

287 (20.3)

258 (13.7)

Work Location (n (%))

Office Work

1073 (76.0)

1590 (84.1)

Work from home

66 (4.7)

62 (3.3)

Driving around/ Travel Work

137 (9.7)

110 (5.8)

Missing

136 (9.6)

128 (6.8)

Shift Times (n (%))

Daytime

527 (37.0)

688 (36.4)

Night-time

90 (6.4)

101 (5.3)

Rotating

308 (21.8)

517 (27.4)

Missing

487 (34.5)

584 (30.9)

Work Hours (n (%))

Full Time (30 + hours)

841 (59.6)

956 (50.6)

Part Time (less than 30)

444 (31.4)

830 (43.9)

Missing

127 (9.0)

104 (5.5)