Table 1.
Age standardized characteristics of study participants according to quarters of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption across entire follow-up period. Values are number (percentage) of person years unless stated otherwise
| Characteristics* | Health Professionals Follow-up Study (n=39 501) | Nurses’ Health Study (n=74 563) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | Quarter 3 | Quarter 4 | Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | Quarter 3 | Quarter 4 | ||
| Mean (SD) age, years | 66.1 (11.6) | 65.4 (11.8) | 65.2 (11.9) | 64.7 (11.7) | 65.7 (11.2) | 64.7 (11.5) | 64.3 (11.6) | 64.1 (11.6) | |
| White | 232 540 (89) | 238 259 (91) | 238 262 (91) | 240 763 (92) | 540 359 (97) | 546 475 (98) | 546 242 (98) | 545 722 (98) | |
| Married | 175 058 (67) | 183 276 (70) | 183 278 (70) | 177 955 (68) | 373 238 (67) | 379 187 (68) | 37 3451 (67) | 356 390 (64) | |
| Mean (SD) BMI | 25.1 (3.2) | 25.7 (3.3) | 26.0 (3.3) | 26.5 (3.7) | 24.1 (3.8) | 24.9 (4.1) | 25.4 (4.4) | 26.0 (4.8) | |
| Mean (SD) total activity, MET-h/week | 32.9 (26.3) | 29.9 (24.2) | 28.1 (23) | 25.3 (22.3) | 20.4 (20.6) | 17.3 (17) | 15.6 (16) | 14.0 (15.3) | |
| Mean (SD) alcohol drinking, g/day | 13.3 (15.8) | 12.0 (13.6) | 10.6 (12.8) | 8.6 (11.4) | 7.7 (11.1) | 6.3 (9.4) | 5.5 (8.5) | 4.6 (7.7) | |
| Mean (SD) AHEI score† | 52.8 (10.1) | 47.5 (9.5) | 45.1 (9.5) | 43.5 (9.7) | 51.2 (9.5) | 47.1 (8.5) | 45.1 (8.4) | 43.7 (8.4) | |
| Smoking status: | |||||||||
| Never smoking | 143 705 (55) | 133 530 (51) | 130 913 (50) | 117 765 (45) | 272 965 (49) | 262 085 (47) | 256 399 (46) | 23 3881 (42) | |
| Former smoking | 104 512 (40) | 112 584 (43) | 115 203 (44) | 122 999 (47) | 228 399 (41) | 234 204 (42) | 239 678 (43) | 250 587 (45) | |
| Current smoking | 13 064 (5) | 15 709 (6) | 15 710 (6) | 20 936 (8) | 55 707 (10) | 61 339 (11) | 61 313 (11) | 72 392 (13) | |
| Mean (SD) pack years of smoking | 9.2 (15.2) | 10.6 (16.4) | 11.8 (17.6) | 14.5 (19.6) | 11.1 (18) | 11.8 (18.3) | 12.9 (19.2) | 15.6 (21.1) | |
| Physical examination for screening | 138 479 (53) | 146 621 (56) | 144 004 (55) | 138 700 (53) | 384 379 (69) | 390 340 (70) | 384 599 (69) | 373 096 (67) | |
| Family history of cancer | 91 448 (35) | 94 256 (36) | 94 257 (36) | 94 212 (36) | 233 970 (42) | 228 627 (41) | 228 530 (41) | 233 881 (42) | |
| Family history of myocardial infarction | 91 448 (35) | 91 638 (35) | 94 257 (36) | 96 829 (37) | 133 697 (24) | 139 407 (25) | 144 921 (26) | 144 783 (26) | |
| Family history of diabetes | 62 707 (24) | 68 074 (26) | 70 693 (27) | 73 276 (28) | 150 409 (27) | 156 136 (28) | 161 643 (29) | 167 058 (30) | |
| Menopause and hormone use: | |||||||||
| Premenopausal | NA | NA | NA | NA | 55 707 (10) | 61 339 (11) | 61 313 (11) | 61 254 (11) | |
| Never user, postmenopausal | NA | NA | NA | NA | 139 268 (25) | 133 831 (24) | 133 774 (24) | 133 646 (24) | |
| Current user, postmenopausal | NA | NA | NA | NA | 133 697 (24) | 133 831 (24) | 123 200 (23) | 122 509 (22) | |
| Past user, postmenopausal | NA | NA | NA | NA | 172 692 (31) | 178 441 (32) | 183 939 (33) | 183 763 (33) | |
| Missing | NA | NA | NA | NA | 55 707 (10) | 50 187 (9) | 50 165 (9) | 55 686 (10) | |
| Mean (SD) UPF intake, servings/week: | |||||||||
| Total UPF | 22.1 (7.5) | 32.2 (4.3) | 41.3 (5.2) | 56.2 (14.2) | 20.7 (6.1) | 29.1 (3.6) | 36.9 (4.4) | 49.5 (11.7) | |
| Ultra-processed breads and breakfast foods‡ | 2.1 (2.1) | 3.5 (3.5) | 4.9 (4.2) | 7.7 (7) | 2.1 (2.1) | 3.5 (2.8) | 4.9 (3.5) | 7.0 (5.6) | |
| Fats, condiments, and sauces | 4.9 (3.5) | 8.4 (4.2) | 10.5 (5.6) | 16.8 (11.2) | 5.6 (3.5) | 8.4 (4.2) | 10.5 (5.6) | 16.8 (10.5) | |
| Packaged sweet snacks and desserts§ | 4.9 (3.5) | 7.7 (4.2) | 9.1 (5.6) | 11.9 (8.4) | 4.2 (2.8) | 6.3 (3.5) | 7 (4.2) | 9.1 (6.3) | |
| Sugar and artificially sweetened beverages | 2.8 (2.8) | 4.9 (3.5) | 6.3 (4.9) | 11.2 (10.5) | 2.1 (2.1) | 4.2 (3.5) | 5.6 (4.2) | 9.8 (9.1) | |
| Ready-to-eat/heat mixed dishes | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.8 (1.4) | 2.8 (2.1) | 0.7 (0.7) | 1.4 (0.7) | 1.4 (0.7) | 1.4 (0.7) | |
| Meat/poultry/seafood based ready-to-eat products | 1.4 (1.4) | 2.1 (2.1) | 2.8 (2.1) | 2.8 (2.8) | 1.4 (0.7) | 1.4 (1.4) | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.1 (1.4) | |
| Packaged savory snacks | 1.4 (1.4) | 1.4 (2.1) | 2.1 (2.8) | 2.8 (4.9) | 1.4 (1.4) | 2.1 (2.1) | 2.1 (2.8) | 3.5 (5.6) | |
| Dairy based desserts | 1.4 (1.4) | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.1 (2.1) | 2.1 (2.1) | 1.4 (1.4) | 1.4 (1.4) | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.1 (2.1) | |
| Other | 0 (0.7) | 0.7 (1.4) | 0.7 (2.1) | 2.1 (4.9) | 0 (0.7) | 0.7 (1.4) | 0.7 (2.1) | 2.1 (3.5) | |
| Mean (SD) intake of major non-UPFs: servings/week: | |||||||||
| Whole fruits | 14.7 (10.5) | 11.9 (7.7) | 10.5 (7) | 9.1 (6.3) | 14 (7.7) | 11.9 (6.3) | 10.5 (6.3) | 9.1 (5.6) | |
| Whole vegetables | 30.8 (16.8) | 26.6 (13.3) | 24.5 (12.6) | 22.4 (11.9) | 24.5 (11.9) | 21.7 (9.8) | 20.3 (9.8) | 18.2 (9.1) | |
| Whole grains‡ | 5.6 (6.3) | 4.2 (4.9) | 3.5 (4.2) | 2.8 (4.2) | 3.5 (4.2) | 2.8 (2.8) | 2.1 (2.8) | 2.1 (2.1) | |
| Tea and coffee | 12.6 (11.2) | 14 (11.2) | 14.7 (11.2) | 16.1 (11.9) | 19.6 (12.6) | 20.3 (12.6) | 21 (12.6) | 21.7 (13.3) | |
| Nuts and legumes | 7.0 (5.6) | 6.3 (4.9) | 6.3 (4.9) | 5.6 (4.2) | 4.2 (2.8) | 4.2 (2.1) | 3.5 (2.1) | 3.5 (2.1) | |
| Red meat | 3.5 (2.8) | 4.2 (2.8) | 4.2 (2.8) | 4.2 (2.8) | 4.2 (2.8) | 4.9 (2.8) | 4.9 (2.8) | 4.9 (2.8) | |
| Fish | 2.8 (2.1) | 2.1 (2.1) | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.8 (2.1) | 2.1 (2.1) | 2.1 (2.1) | 2.1 (1.4) | |
| Poultry | 2.8 (2.1) | 2.8 (2.1) | 2.8 (1.4) | 2.8 (1.4) | 3.5 (2.8) | 3.5 (2.1) | 3.5 (2.1) | 3.5 (2.1) | |
AHEI=Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010; BMI=body mass index; IQR=interquartile range; MET=metabolic equivalent of task; NA=not applicable; SD=standard deviation.
*
All values other than age were directly standardized to age distribution of participants.
†
Alcohol was removed from calculation of AHEI score.
‡
Ultra-processed whole grains were not counted in UPF intake in primary analysis.
§
Major ingredients are not dairy.