TABLE 2.
Baseline characteristics of the population by prudent and Western pattern quintiles, the Nurses’ Health Study 19961
| Prudent pattern |
Western pattern |
|||||
| Quintile 1 | Quintile 3 | Quintile 5 | Quintile 1 | Quintile 3 | Quintile 5 | |
| Age (y) | 60.8 ± 6.92 | 62.4 ± 6.9 | 63.6 ± 6.8 | 63.0 ± 6.8 | 62.4 ± 6.9 | 61.5 ± 7.0 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 26.3 ± 0.02 | 26.2 ± 0.02 | 25.9 ± 0.02 | 24.9 ± 0.02 | 26.1 ± 0.02 | 27.6 ± 0.02 |
| Physical activity (MET-h/wk) | 13.2 ± 0.1 | 19.1 ± 0.1 | 26.9 ± 0.1 | 27.4 ± 0.1 | 19.4 ± 0.1 | 11.7 ± 0.1 |
| Caffeine intake (mg/d) | 303 ± 1.0 | 241 ± 0.9 | 191 ± 1.0 | 204 ± 1.0 | 239 ± 0.9 | 290 ± 1.0 |
| Mental Health Index3 | 81.7 ± 0.05 | 83.3 ± 0.04 | 84.4 ± 0.05 | 84.2 ± 0.05 | 83.1 ± 0.04 | 82.2 ± 0.05 |
| Menopause (%) | 94 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 94 |
| Current use of HRT4 | 40 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 47 | 40 |
| Ever used HRT4 | 62 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 68 | 63 |
| Current smokers (%) | 19 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 17 |
| Ever smokers (%) | 59 | 52 | 50 | 56 | 53 | 52 |
| Marital status (%) | ||||||
| Married | 76 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 82 | 78 |
| Widowed | 16 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 15 |
| Separated, divorced, or single | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Multivitamin use (%) | 45 | 53 | 60 | 61 | 54 | 43 |
| Retired (%) | 47 | 49 | 49 | 47 | 49 | 49 |
| Participates in community groups (%) | 53 | 65 | 70 | 64 | 65 | 58 |
1
Data are from the most recent measure of diet (1994) before baseline (1996). All variables were age- and total calorie–adjusted except for age. HRT, hormonal replacement therapy; MET-h/wk, metabolic equivalent task hours per week.
2
Mean ± SD (all such values).
3
Mental Health Index score measured in 1996. A higher score denotes a better mental health.
4
With the exclusion of premenopausal women.