Parameters Men (n =122) Women (n = 119) r p  r p Smoker/non-smoker - - - - Alcohol consumption - - - - Total energy (kJ/d) - - - - Protein (en%) - - - - Carbohydrate (en%) - - - - Fat (en%) - - - - Age (years) -0.31* 0.04 -0.52** 0.001 BMI (kg/m2) 0.34* 0.01 0.39** 0.002 DBP (mmHg) - - - - SBP (mmHg) - - - - FPG (mmol/l) - - - - 2h-PG (mmol/l) -0.42** 0.004 -0.26* 0.04 Parameters Men (n =122) Women (n = 119) r (β) p r (β) p TG (mmol/l) -0.35* (-0.31*) 0.02(0.03) -0.48**(-0.39**) 0.001(0.005) TC (mmol/l) -0.38* (-0.32*) 0.01(0.02) -0.20*(-0.19*) 0.02(0.04) Fating insulin (mU/l) -0.48**(-0.41**) 0.004(0.008) -0.48**(-0.35**) < 0.001(< 0.001)

(- : no correlation. * p< 0.05; ** p < 0.01; r: Spearman correlation coefficient. β: Multiple linear regression coefficient. A multiple linear regression analysis between DHEA-S levels and insulin, and lipid levels have been performed by adjusting for age, BMI and 2h-PG).

Table 3: Metabolic parameters correlated with the serum DHEA-S levels by Spearman correlation analysis.