Table 2.
Dietary baseline characteristics across tertiles of baseline ultra-processed food consumption of the study population.
| UPF consumption (% of energy from UPF) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | T2 | T3 | ||
| n = 67 | n = 67 | n = 66 | P-value | |
| Energy (kcal/day) | 2589 ± 716 | 2678 ± 619 | 2676 ± 561 | 0.654 |
| Nutrients | ||||
| Proteins (% energy) | 17.0 ± 2.4 | 16.5 ± 2.56 | 15.3 ± 2.0 | <0.001 |
| Proteins (g/day) | 109.5 ± 32.5 | 110.0 ± 30.1 | 102.0 ± 25.7 | 0.222 |
| Fats (% energy) | 41.4 ± 6.9 | 43.5 ± 6.0 | 42.6 ± 5.1 | 0.133 |
| Fats (g/day) | 118.2 ± 37.1 | 128.9 ± 32.9 | 126.7 ± 31.1 | 0.155 |
| Saturated FA (% of total fats) | 25.7 ± 4.6 | 28.3 ± 4.4 | 29.7 ± 3.8 | <0.001 |
| Monounsaturated FA (% of total fats) | 47.7 ± 4.7 | 46.4 ± 4.6 | 45.1 ± 3.9 | 0.004 |
| Polyunsaturated FA (% of total fats) | 14.6 [13.0–17.7] | 13.1 [11.5–14.4] | 13.1 [11.6–14.6] | <0.001 |
| Carbohydrates (% energy) | 39.5 ± 7.3 | 37.7 ± 6.5 | 39.3 ± 5.7 | 0.244 |
| Carbohydrates (g/day) | 257.9 ± 94.2 | 254.4 ± 78.7 | 262.9 ± 66.5 | 0.828 |
| Total dietary fiber (g/day) | 27.0 [20.1–33.4] | 22.7 [16.5–28.6] | 21.4 [16.5–25.1] | <0.001 |
| Sodium (mg/day) | 2493.1 [1878.6–3011.4] | 2822.0 [2259.1–3507.2] | 2666.2 [2322.4–3425.6] | 0.007 |
| Mediterranean diet adherence, points | 9 [8–10] | 8 [7–9] | 7 [6–8] | <0.001 |
| Food subgroups, g/day | ||||
| Dairy | 235.2 [94.1–334.5] | 260.7 [145.0–328.6] | 205.9 [106.9–274.8] | 0.070 |
| Dairy products | 13.3 [0–25.2] | 15.3 [6.7–42.9] | 25.4 [15.3–45.2] | <0.001 |
| Eggs | 47.1 [25.7–47.1] | 25.7 [25.7–47.1] | 25.7 [25.7–47.1] | 0.450 |
| Meat and meat products | 150.2 ± 83.8 | 182.2 ± 85.5 | 172.6 ± 89.4 | 0.090 |
| Fish and seafood | 85.7 ± 47.9 | 90.8 ± 48.1 | 78.6 ± 42.1 | 0.311 |
| Vegetables | 303.3 [217.1–385.3] | 213.2 [168.4–283.2] | 197.0 [149.3–258.6] | <0.001 |
| Tubers | 85.7 [34.7–150.0] | 85.7 [23.3–95.7] | 50 [23.3–95.7] | 0.074 |
| Fruits | 207.1 [149.7–296.4] | 153.3 [82.9–256.9] | 157.7 [110.7–221.4] | 0.005 |
| Nuts | 25.7 [8.6–38.6] | 17.1 [8–32.0] | 11.4 [4.3–21.4] | 0.002 |
| Legumes | 29.7 [17.1–51.4] | 16.6 [12–29.7] | 21.1 [12.6–33.7] | <0.001 |
| Cereals | 83.6 [40.1–126.4] | 109 [68.4–217.2] | 88.4 [68.9–126.4] | 0.067 |
| Whole cereals | 35 [9.3–83.3] | 10.7 [0–45.0] | 12.9 [0–38.4] | <0.001 |
| Oils and fats | 27.9 [25–51.3] | 33.6 [25.0–51.3] | 27.9 [25.0–49.3] | 0.440 |
| Pastry and bakery | 15.3 [8.3–32.5] | 32.4 [19.1–49.4] | 50.7 [31.4–81.0] | <0.001 |
| Sugar and sweetened | 5.0 [0.7–12.8] | 10.0 [2.9–16.4] | 7.8 [1.3–15.0] | 0.175 |
| Snack | 6.7 [3.3–10.5] | 10.5 [6.7–14.3] | 12.4 [6.7–24.8] | <0.001 |
| Prepared food | 16 [13.3–30.6] | 28.6 [15.3–32.9] | 85.7 [32.9–87.7] | <0.001 |
| Sauces and seasonings | 1.4 [0–4.3] | 4.3 [0.7–7.9] | 4.3 [1.4–7.9] | <0.001 |
| Sweetened beverages | 41.9 [26.7–171.4] | 85.7 [26.7–170.5] | 112.4 [41.9–200.0] | 0.139 |
| Alcoholic beverages | 144.8 [32–172.4] | 154.8 [22–233.8] | 144.8 [52.9–230.0] | 0.514 |
| Coffee and tea | 60.7 [28.6–125.0] | 53.3 [21.4–125.0] | 50.0 [10.5–125.0] | 0.227 |
FA, fatty acids; T, tertile; UPF, ultra-processed food. Values are reported as means ± standard deviations or median (Pc25–Pc75). P-value was calculated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test or Kruskal–Wallis test for normal or non-normal distributed variables, respectively.