TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics by processed meat intake among men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS; 1986) and women in the Nurses’ Health Study I (NHS I; 1980) and NHS II (1991)1
| Processed meats (quintile)2 |
|||||||||
| Men, HPFS |
Women, NHS I |
Women, NHS II |
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| Characteristic | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| No. of individuals | 8641 | 10,880 | 8889 | 8989 | 21,757 | 22,385 | 17,961 | 20,502 | 18,556 |
| Processed meats (g/d) | 0.14 ± 0.33 | 5.9 ± 1.0 | 27 ± 13.6 | 0 ± 0 | 5.2 ± 1.0 | 23 ± 12 | 0 ± 0 | 4.7 ± 0.7 | 18 ± 9.2 |
| Age (y) | 56 ± 9.9 | 54 ± 9.8 | 54 ± 9.5 | 49 ± 7.0 | 47 ± 7.2 | 46 ± 7.1 | 37 ± 4.6 | 37 ± 4.7 | 36 ± 4.6 |
| Height (in)4 | 70 ± 2.7 | 70 ± 2.7 | 70 ± 2.7 | 64 ± 3.2 | 64 ± 3.4 | 64 ± 3.2 | 65 ± 2.6 | 65 ± 2.6 | 65 ± 2.6 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 25 ± 2.9 | 26 ± 3.1 | 26 ± 3.4 | 24 ± 4.1 | 24 ± 4.2 | 25 ± 4.7 | 24 ± 4.6 | 25 ± 5.3 | 26 ± 6.0 |
| Past smoker (%) | 42 | 45 | 44 | 33 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 20 |
| Current smoker (%) | 5 | 9 | 15 | 22 | 29 | 32 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Pack-years of cigarettes5 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 45 | 41 | 41 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Daily dietary intake | |||||||||
| NDMA (μg) | 0.06 ± 0.04 | 0.07 ± 0.04 | 0.09 ± 0.05 | 0.09 ± 0.22 | 0.11 ± 0.26 | 0.11 ± 0.24 | 0.06 ± 0.03 | 0.06 ± 0.02 | 0.07 ± 0.02 |
| NPYR (μg) | 0.01 ± 0.007 | 0.03 ± 0.03 | 0.07 ± 0.09 | 0.01 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.02 | 0.05 ± 0.06 | 0.01 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.05 |
| Nitrite (mg) | 1.6 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.3 | 2.1 ± 0.6 | 1.4 ± 0.4 | 1.3 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.4 | 1.9 ± 0.5 | 2.0 ± 0.4 | 2.4 ± 0.5 |
| Nitrate (mg) | 183 ± 122 | 150 ± 84 | 139 ± 84 | 127 ± 106 | 96 ± 76 | 86 ± 65 | 172 ± 112 | 137 ± 81 | 125 ± 73 |
| Total meat (g/d) | 89 ± 61 | 118 ± 59 | 166 ± 66 | 107 ± 68 | 123 ± 60 | 163 ± 67 | 83 ± 83 | 117 ± 52 | 153 ± 60 |
| Coffee (cups)6 | 0.9 ± 1.4 | 1.3 ± 1.6 | 1.6 ± 1.7 | 1.9 ± 2.0 | 2.3 ± 2.0 | 2.4 ± 2.1 | 1.2 ± 1.5 | 1.3 ± 1.6 | 1.3 ± 1.7 |
| Alcohol (g) | 8.6 ± 13.1 | 11 ± 15 | 13.7 ± 18 | 5.5 ± 9.7 | 6.6 ± 11 | 6.3 ± 11 | 3.0 ± 5.7 | 3.1 ± 6.0 | 3.1 ± 6.3 |
| Fruit and vegetables (serving) | 6.8 ± 3.8 | 5.5 ± 2.9 | 5.6 ± 2.8 | 4.7 ± 2.5 | 3.9 ± 2.1 | 4.0 ± 2.0 | 5.6 ± 3.3 | 4.9 ± 2.8 | 5.2 ± 2.7 |
| Vitamin C (mg)7 | 572 ± 580 | 407 ± 447 | 332 ± 360 | 467 ± 766 | 301 ± 495 | 250 ± 428 | 345 ± 438 | 238 ± 284 | 208 ± 230 |
| Vitamin E (mg)7 | 70 ± 115 | 48 ± 89 | 38 ± 71 | 59 ± 135 | 35 ± 97 | 27 ± 79 | 35 ± 81 | 23 ± 53 | 20 ± 44 |
| Folate (μg)7 | 564 ± 332 | 473 ± 268 | 423 ± 220 | 445 ± 321 | 367 ± 275 | 329 ± 240 | 554 ± 332 | 465 ± 282 | 428 ± 254 |
| Multivitamin use (%) | 68 | 61 | 59 | 41 | 34 | 32 | 49 | 43 | 42 |
1
All variables (except age) are age-standardized. NDMA, nitrosodimethylamine; NPYR, nitrosopyrolidine.
2
< 0.001 for linear trend across categories for all variables (in each cohort) by using generalized linear models for continuous variables, Similarly, for categorical variables, P < 0.001 for all variables by using chi-square tests.
3
Mean ± SD (all such values).
4
1 inch = 2.54 cm.
5
Among past and current smokers.
6
1 cup = 237 mL.
7
Energy-adjusted nutrient intake from diet and vitamin supplement.