Table 1.
Age-standardized baseline characteristics according to quartiles of aMed scores*
| Variables | Nurses’ Health Study (N=83,245) | Nurses’ Health Study II (N=91,393) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| No. of participants | 19,140 | 17,279 | 32,501 | 14,325 | 19,071 | 33,881 | 16,375 | 22,066 |
| aMed score range | 0–2 | 3 | 4–5 | 6–9 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5 | 6–9 |
| Age (years) | 47.4±7.0 | 48.2±7.1 | 49.0±7.2 | 50.1±7.2 | 38.2±4.8 | 38.6±4.7 | 38.8±4.6 | 39.1±4.5 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 24.7±4.7 | 24.7±4.6 | 24.6±4.5 | 24.4±4.4 | 25.7±6.0 | 25.3±5.7 | 25.2±5.5 | 24.7±5.2 |
| Census tract median family income $ (*1000) | 62.4±24.7 | 63.9±25.2 | 65.3±26.1 | 67.9±27.6 | 59.7±20.5 | 62.2±22.7 | 63.4±23.3 | 64.8±24.5 |
| Physical activity(MET-h/wk) | 11.1±17.3 | 12.7±19.6 | 14.8±20.8 | 18.0±22.9 | 15.9±22.7 | 19.2±24.7 | 22.8±28.6 | 26.9±32.4 |
| AHEI score | 45.7±10.2 | 48.5±10.3 | 51.7±10.4 | 56.6±10.3 | 34.6±7.8 | 41.4±8.4 | 46.9±8.4 | 53.1±9.3 |
| Alcohol consumption (g/d) | 6.4±12.3 | 6.6±11.3 | 6.3±9.9 | 6.5±8.2 | 2.4±5.3 | 2.9±5.3 | 3.2±5.3 | 3.8±5.2 |
| Current smoking, % | 34.4 | 29.7 | 24.9 | 19.2 | 14.6 | 11.7 | 9.8 | 8.7 |
| Multivitamin use, % | 31.0 | 34.1 | 37.9 | 43.3 | 33.6 | 38.0 | 41.2 | 45.9 |
| Menarche before age 12, % | 21.7 | 22.5 | 23.7 | 24.0 | 23.4 | 24.0 | 25.1 | 25.2 |
| Parous, % | 92.4 | 92.7 | 92.4 | 92.8 | 69.9 | 69.8 | 70.0 | 68.2 |
| Breastfeeding >= 12 months, % | 14.1 | 16.2 | 18.4 | 22.9 | 20.5 | 24.7 | 28.5 | 31.4 |
| Postmenopausal, % | 41.2 | 41.5 | 41.7 | 41.2 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 |
| Current hormone use, % | 15.5 | 15.5 | 16.3 | 17.3 | 37.4 | 36.8 | 36.7 | 36.1 |
| Total energy intake (Kcal/d) | 1435±477 | 1498±493 | 1609±503 | 1717±482 | 1508±481 | 1705±507 | 1909±521 | 2087±525 |
| Red/processed meat (servings/d) | 1.8±1.0 | 1.7±1.0 | 1.6±1.0 | 1.4±0.9 | 1.2±0.7 | 1.2±0.7 | 1.2±0.7 | 1.1±0.7 |
| Fish (servings/d) | 0.2±0.2 | 0.3±0.3 | 0.4±0.5 | 0.7±0.7 | 0.2±0.2 | 0.3±0.2 | 0.3±0.3 | 0.4±0.3 |
| Vegetable (servings/d) | 1.1±0.5 | 1.4±0.8 | 1.9±1.0 | 2.4±1.1 | 1.8±1.0 | 2.8±1.6 | 3.8±1.9 | 4.8±2.2 |
| Fruit (servings/d) | 0.8±0.8 | 1.2±1.0 | 1.6±1.3 | 2.2±1.3 | 0.6±0.5 | 1.0±0.8 | 1.4±1.0 | 1.8±1.1 |
| Legume (servings/d) | 0.3±0.2 | 0.4±0.3 | 0.5±0.4 | 0.7±0.4 | 0.2±0.2 | 0.3±0.3 | 0.4±0.3 | 0.6±0.4 |
| Whole grain (servings/d) | 0.3±0.6 | 0.5±0.8 | 0.9±0.9 | 1.3±1.0 | 0.7±0.7 | 1.2±1.0 | 1.6±1.1 | 2.1±1.3 |
| Nuts (servings/d) | 0.1±0.2 | 0.1±0.3 | 0.2±0.4 | 0.3±0.5 | 0.0±0.1 | 0.0±0.1 | 0.1±0.1 | 0.1±0.2 |
| Monounsaturated to saturated fat ratio | 1.0±0.1 | 1.0±0.1 | 1.0±0.1 | 1.1±0.2 | 1.0±0.1 | 1.1±0.1 | 1.1±0.2 | 1.2±0.2 |
*
Values (except age) are standardized to the age distribution of the study population. Mean ± SD unless otherwise indicated. aMed = Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score; BMI= body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared); MET=metabolic equivalent task; AHEI=Alternate Healthy Eating Index.