Table 1.
Baseline characteristics after randomization
| Characteristics | Control group | Healthy Nordic diet | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subjects, n | 42 | 44 | |
| Age (year) | 53.4 ± 8.1 | 52.6 ± 7.8 | 0.63 |
| Men/women | 15/27 | 17/27 | 0.83 |
| Body weight (kg) | 78.0 ± 13.3 | 76.0 ± 10.5 | 0.44 |
| Body mass index (kg m¯ 2 ) | 26.5 ± 3.3 | 26.3 ± 3.2 | 0.79 |
| SBP (mmHg) | 123 ± 14 | 128 ± 12 | 0.50 |
| DBP (mmHg) | 83 ± 9 | 81 ± 7 | 0.16 |
| Plasma TG (mmol/L¯ 1 ) | 1.4 ± 0.8 | 1.6 ± 0.8 | 0.32 |
| Plasma cholesterol (mmol/L¯ 1 ) | 6.4 ± 0.7 | 6.2 ± 0.8 | 0.36 |
| Plasma LDL cholesterol (mmol/L¯ 1 ) | 4.2 ± 1.0 | 4.0 ± 0.6 | 0.33 |
| Plasma HDL cholesterol (mmol/L¯ 1 ) | 1.5 ± 0.5 | 1.5 ± 0.4 | 0.28 |
| LDL/HDL ratio | 2.8 ± 1.0 | 2.9 ± 0.8 | 0.80 |
| Plasma glucose (mmol/L¯ 1 ) | 4.9 ± 0.6 | 4.9 ± 0.5 | 0.54 |
| Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) | 1.3 ± 0.6 | 1.2 ± 0.6 | 0.47 |
| Cathepsin S μg/L | 18.3 ± 2.99 | 20.1 ± 4.1 | 0.02 |
Data are means ± SD. HDL: High-density lipoprotein; LDL: Low-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR: Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance; SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; TG: triglycerides. Differences between the Nordic Diet and Control groups were assessed using unpaired two-tailed t-tests.