TABLE 2.
Characteristics of the study sample and of individuals consuming popular diets, adults ≥18 y, NHANES 2005–2010
| Demographic variables | Overall (n = 16,412) |
Omnivore1 (n = 14,175) |
Vegetarian (n = 1179) |
Pescatarian (n = 778) |
Vegan (n = 141) |
Keto (n = 77) |
Paleo (n = 62) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % ± SE | % ± SE | % ± SE | % ± SE | % ± SE | % ± SE | % ± SE | |
| Sex | |||||||
| Female1 | 52.1 ± 0.4 | 50.1 ± 0.4 | 69.0 ± 1.5 | 59.5 ± 2.5 | 58.3 ± 4.5 | 63.9 ± 7.7 | 52.9 ± 9.3 |
| Male | 47.9 ± 0.4 | 49.9 ± 0.4 | 31.0 ± 1.52 | 40.5 ± 2.52 | 41.7 ± 4.5 | 36.1 ± 7.7 | 47.1 ± 9.3 |
| Race and ethnicity | |||||||
| Non-Hispanic White1 | 70.2 ± 1.9 | 70.0 ± 2.0 | 75.0 ± 2.3 | 70.6 ± 2.7 | 60.4 ± 5.1 | 53.8 ± 6.7 | 56.1 ± 8.8 |
| Hispanic | 12.6 ± 1.2 | 12.7 ± 1.2 | 12.5 ± 1.4 | 10.2 ± 2.1 | 15.7 ± 3.4 | 22.1 ± 6.12 | 17.9 ± 5.8 |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 11.6 ± 1.0 | 12.1 ± 1.1 | 5.5 ± 0.92 | 10.1 ± 1.2 | 11.2 ± 2.6 | 19.5 ± 5.32 | 16 ± 5 |
| Other | 5.6 ± 0.5 | 5.3 ± 0.5 | 7.0 ± 1.2 | 9.0 ± 1.62 | 12.7 ± 3.82 | 4.6 ± 2.6 | 10 ± 7.9 |
| Age | |||||||
| 18–29 | 22.1 ± 0.7 | 22.5 ± 0.7 | 22.5 ± 1.9 | 15.0 ± 2.4 | 27.0 ± 5.02 | 11.8 ± 3.0 | 33.1 ± 9.6 |
| 30–491 | 36.9 ± 0.9 | 37.4 ± 1.0 | 35.2 ± 2.2 | 31.2 ± 2.4 | 25.4 ± 5.5 | 35.1 ± 8.1 | 44.8 ± 10.1 |
| 50–65 | 25.5 ± 0.6 | 25.2 ± 0.7 | 24.6 ± 1.4 | 32.7 ± 2.12 | 26.6 ± 4.9 | 27.7 ± 6.8 | 15.9 ± 5.7 |
| 66+ | 15.5 ± 0.6 | 14.9 ± 0.6 | 17.7 ± 1.4 | 21.0 ± 2.02 | 21.0 ± 6.0 | 25.4 ± 5.5 | 6.2 ± 2.32 |
| Education3 | |||||||
| Less than high school | 19.0 ± 0.7 | 19.1 ± 0.8 | 18.1 ± 1.82 | 15.5 ± 1.52 | 29.7 ± 4.1 | 33.3 ± 5.7 | 28.5 ± 7.6 |
| High school graduate | 25.0 ± 0.7 | 25.6 ± 0.7 | 20.3 ± 1.62 | 24.1 ± 2.6 | 18.1 ± 3.4 | 16.9 ± 4.9 | 32.2 ± 8.9 |
| Some college | 30.6 ± 0.5 | 30.9 ± 0.6 | 28.3 ± 2.02 | 31.4 ± 2.5 | 28.0 ± 4.5 | 23.4 ± 6.6 | 27.1 ± 9.0 |
| College graduate1 | 25.3 ± 1.1 | 24.5 ± 1.1 | 33.3 ± 2.4 | 29.0 ± 2.2 | 24.3 ± 5.0 | 26.4 ± 7.2 | 12.1 ± 7.3 |
| Income-to-poverty ratio | |||||||
| <1 | 6.2 ± 0.4 | 6.2 ± 0.4 | 7.6 ± 1.2 | 5.6 ± 1.0 | 5.0 ± 1.7 | 3.1 ± 2.2 | 3.3 ± 1.8 |
| 1 to <2 | 13.1 ± 0.6 | 12.9 ± 0.6 | 13.3 ± 1.3 | 14.0 ± 1.7 | 18.9 ± 4.1 | 28.0 ± 6.0 | 16.1 ± 5.0 |
| 2 to <5 | 19.2 ± 0.6 | 19.2 ± 0.6 | 20.4 ± 1.9 | 17.1 ± 1.5 | 23.7 ± 5.1 | 14.3 ± 3.8 | 17.0 ± 5.7 |
| 5+1 | 37.0 ± 0.8 | 37.1 ± 0.9 | 35.4 ± 2.1 | 36.7 ± 2.1 | 39.6 ± 6.2 | 28.8 ± 6.8 | 53.8 ± 9.6 |
| Missing | 24.4 ± 1.0 | 24.5 ± 1.0 | 23.3 ± 1.9 | 26.6 ± 2.5 | 12.8 ± 5.1 | 25.8 ± 7.3 | 9.8 ± 5.1 |
Reference group. 2P < 0.05 for the difference from the reference diet (omnivore) using survey-weighted multinomial logistic regression. Multinomial logistic regression allows for a dependent variable with ≥3 unordered categories. In this case, with diet as the dependent variable, each demographic variable (for example, race and ethnicity) was the independent variable in a separate model estimating the log odds of consuming a vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, keto, or paleo diet relative to the omnivore diet. For example, compared to 30–49 y-olds, 66+ y-olds had greater odds of consuming a pescatarian diet compared to an omnivore diet. 3Education variable included individuals ≥20 y of age (n = 16,391).