Table 2.

Baseline characteristics and nutrients in the ONQI algorithm across quintiles of the ONQI-f score^a

	Nurses’ Health			Health Professionals Follow-up Study
	Q1	Q3	Q5	Q1	Q3	Q5
Range of ONQI-f score	7.4–26.1	30.3–34.2	38.8–78.0	5.8–24.2	28.2–32.1	37.0–74.6
Median of ONQI-f score	23.1	32.2	42.4	21.4	30.1	40.9
Age, years	52	52	52	53	53	53
Current smoking, %	33	19	13	18	9	4
BMI	25.5	25.2	24.5	25.8	25.6	24.9
Exercise, hours/week	1.2	1.9	3.0	1.6	2.0	2.3
Alcohol intake, g/day	5.9	6.3	7.0	10.8	11.8	11.9
Regular aspirin use, % ≥7 week	20	18	16	29	27	22
Postmenopausal hormone use, %	12	15	15	N/A	N/A	N/A
History of high cholesterol, %	5	6	8	9	10	12
History of hypertension, %	13	14	15	17	20	21
Family history of MI, %	19	19	19	11	12	13
Family history of cancer, %b	9	10	10	2	2	2
Total energy intake (kcal/ day)	1766	1789	1722	2025	2017	1930
ONQI algorithm components c
Numerator
Fiber, g/day	13.5	17.3	22.2	15.7	20.2	27.5
Folate, μg/day	321	403	487	374	471	603
Vitamin A, μg /dayd	1373	1684	2079	1653	2069	2727
Vitamin C, mg/day	254	335	453	301	412	598
Vitamin D, IU/day	282	341	394	329	398	489
Vitamin E, mg/daye	57	73	106	69	89	132
Vitamin B12, μg/day	9.2	10.3	11.5	11.6	12.7	13.6
Vitamin B6, mg/day	6.0	8.7	11.8	5.8	8.3	13.0
Potassium, mg/day	2581	3031	3536	2873	3373	4030
Calcium, mg/day	925	1090	1216	795	891	1002
Zinc, mg/day	14.3	15.6	17.2	18.6	20.7	23.9
Marine n-3 fatty acids, mg/day	148	215	306	197	291	432
Total flavonoids, mg/dayf	309	337	377	263	323	393
Total carotenoids, μg/dayg	10,458	14,157	19,764	11,258	15,857	23,926
Magnesium, mg/day	256	299	341	298	349	413
Iron, mg/day	16.4	18.4	19.8	17.3	19.4	22.4
Denominator
Saturated fat, % energy	13.1	11.8	10.1	12.7	11.2	8.8
Trans fat, % energy	2.0	1.7	1.3	1.6	1.3	0.9
Sodium, mg/day	3197	2864	2471	3695	3246	2825
Added sugar, % energy	11.6	8.9	7.3	12.7	9.2	7.1
Cholesterol, mg/day	246	245	231	323	310	272
Energy density	4.2	4.2	4.1	4.8	4.7	4.5
Glycemic load	98	98	101	121	122	133

^aAll nutrients and characteristics are age standardized, with the exception of age

^bFamily history of cancer includes colon cancer and breast cancer (women only)

^cAll nutrients are energy-adjusted

^dVitamin A measured in retinol activity equivalents

^eVitamin E in the form of α-tocopherol

^fTotal flavonoids is the sum of flavones, flavonones, flavonols, falvan-3-ols, anthocyanidins, polymeric flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, theaflavins and thearubigins

^gTotal carotenoids is the sum of α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin

ONQI, Overall Nutritional Quality Index