Table 1.
Factor-loadings for Food Groups of the Two Major Dietary Patterns Identified from Food Frequency Questionnaires in 1984, 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998 in Women of the NHS*
| Food group | 1984 |
1986 |
1990 |
1994 |
1998 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prudent | Western | Prudent | Western | Prudent | Western | Prudent | Western | Prudent | Western | |
| Other vegetables | 0.68 | - | 0.72 | - | 0.69 | - | 0.71 | - | 0.71 | - |
| Green, leafy vegetables | 0.65 | - | 0.64 | - | 0.64 | - | 0.64 | - | 0.63 | - |
| Cruciferous vegetables | 0.61 | - | 0.60 | - | 0.61 | - | 0.63 | - | 0.62 | - |
| Legumes | 0.59 | - | 0.56 | - | 0.58 | - | 0.59 | - | 0.57 | - |
| Dark-yellow vegetables | 0.58 | - | 0.63 | - | 0.65 | - | 0.64 | - | 0.62 | - |
| Fruit | 0.58 | - | 0.59 | - | 0.57 | - | 0.58 | - | 0.59 | - |
| Fish | 0.51 | - | 0.53 | - | 0.51 | - | 0.47 | - | 0.50 | - |
| Tomatoes | 0.46 | 0.18 | 0.55 | 0.19 | 0.49 | 0.17 | 0.52 | - | 0.53 | - |
| Poultry | 0.44 | - | 0.41 | - | 0.42 | - | 0.34 | - | 0.40 | 0.17 |
| Whole grains | 0.39 | - | 0.39 | - | 0.41 | - | 0.40 | - | 0.40 | - |
| Salad dressing | 0.36 | - | 0.38 | - | 0.34 | - | 0.31 | - | 0.33 | - |
| Low-fat dairy | 0.32 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.33 | -0.20 | 0.28 | - |
| Fruit juice | 0.24 | - | 0.25 | - | 0.22 | - | 0.23 | - | 0.22 | - |
| Nuts | 0.18 | - | 0.22 | 0.20 | 0.18 | 0.20 | - | 0.26 | 0.19 | 0.21 |
| Egg white | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.22 | - |
| Olive oil | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.31 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.39 | - |
| Organ meats | 0.23 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tea | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.19 | - |
| Wine | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Low-sugar beverages | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.15 | - | 0.21 |
| Refined grains | - | 0.58 | - | 0.58 | - | 0.52 | - | 0.46 | - | 0.50 |
| Processed meat | - | 0.57 | - | 0.58 | - | 0.60 | - | 0.58 | - | 0.58 |
| Red meat | - | 0.55 | - | 0.57 | - | 0.60 | - | 0.61 | - | 0.62 |
| French fries | - | 0.47 | - | 0.48 | - | 0.47 | - | 0.47 | - | 0.48 |
| Condiments | - | 0.45 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.35 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.36 |
| Sweets and desserts | - | 0.43 | - | 0.49 | - | 0.43 | - | 0.41 | - | 0.36 |
| Potatoes | - | 0.39 | - | 0.36 | 0.23 | 0.30 | 0.24 | 0.29 | 0.21 | 0.33 |
| High-fat diary | - | 0.37 | - | 0.42 | - | 0.48 | - | 0.47 | - | 0.45 |
| Pizza | - | 0.35 | - | 0.35 | - | 0.36 | - | 0.34 | - | 0.39 |
| Mayonnaise | 0.19 | 0.34 | 0.19 | 0.35 | - | 0.35 | 0.21 | 0.33 | 0.23 | 0.33 |
| High-sugar beverages | -0.16 | 0.32 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.29 | - | 0.30 |
| Eggs | 0.16 | 0.30 | - | 0.33 | - | 0.42 | - | 0.44 | - | 0.40 |
| Margarine | - | 0.29 | - | 0.27 | - | 0.28 | - | 0.31 | - | 0.25 |
| Snacks | - | 0.28 | - | 0.32 | - | 0.28 | - | 0.32 | 0.16 | 0.32 |
| Butter | - | 0.27 | - | 0.29 | - | 0.33 | - | 0.33 | - | 0.31 |
| Soups | - | 0.22 | 0.27 | 0.29 | - | 0.31 | - | 0.34 | - | 0.32 |
| Coffee | - | - | - | - | - | 0.15 | - | 0.16 | - | 0.19 |
| Beer | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Liquor | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
*
Factor loadings are identical to Pearson correlation coefficients. Factor loadings with absolute values <0.15 are not shown for simplicity. NA, not applicable because the particular item was not on that year's questionnaire.