TABLE 1.

Age-adjusted baseline characteristics of participants in deciles 1, 5, and 10 of the food-based FQS¹

	NHS (n = 71,415)			HPFS (n = 42,495)			NHS II (n = 93,131)
	D1	D5	D10	D1	D5	D10	D1	D5	D10
Food-based FQS score	30 ± 3	41 ± 1	55 ± 3	29 ± 2	42 ± 1	56 ± 3	28 ± 3	42 ± 1	56 ± 3
BMI, kg/m2	25.5 ± 5.3	25.1 ± 4.7	24.3 ± 4.1	25.2 ± 5.1	25.1 ± 5.1	24.2 ± 4.9	25.9 ± 6.6	24.7 ± 5.3	23.5 ± 4.2
Current smokers, %	26	25	17	15	10	4	14	12	9
Physical activity, MET	10 ± 18	13 ± 19	22 ± 31	15 ± 22	20 ± 27	32 ± 40	13 ± 19	19 ± 25	34 ± 38
Energy intake, kcal	2043 ± 512	1734 ± 534	1580 ± 459	2357 ± 605	1959 ± 610	1846 ± 561	2086 ± 526	1768 ± 549	1666 ± 475
Alcohol intake, g	5 ± 10	7 ± 11	7 ± 11	11 ± 16	12 ± 16	10 ± 14	2 ± 5	3 ± 6	4 ± 6
Total fiber, g	14 ± 3	16 ± 4	21 ± 6	15 ± 4	20 ± 5	30 ± 9	14 ± 3	18 ± 4	25 ± 7
Vegetables, servings/d	3.0 ± 1.5	3.8 ± 1.9	5.5 ± 2.6	2.5 ± 1.3	3.3 ± 1.8	5.0 ± 2.8	2.2 ± 1.2	3.0 ± 1.8	4.7 ± 2.6
Whole fruit, servings/d	0.9 ± 0.7	1.3 ± 1.0	2.3 ± 1.3	0.8 ± 0.7	1.5 ± 1.2	2.8 ± 1.8	0.6 ± 0.5	1.1 ± 0.9	2.0 ± 1.2
Sweets and ice cream, servings/d	1.8 ± 1.4	1.2 ± 1.2	0.6 ± 0.8	2.4 ± 1.7	1.5 ± 1.4	0.6 ± 0.8	1.8 ± 1.3	1.2 ± 1.0	0.6 ± 0.6
Potatoes, servings/d	0.6 ± 0.3	0.4 ± 0.3	0.2 ± 0.2	0.7 ± 0.4	0.4 ± 0.3	0.3 ± 0.3	0.6 ± 0.3	0.4 ± 0.3	0.2 ± 0.2
Red meat, servings/d	0.9 ± 0.4	0.7 ± 0.4	0.3 ± 0.3	1.3 ± 0.6	0.8 ± 0.5	0.3 ± 0.3	1.2 ± 0.6	0.7 ± 0.5	0.3 ± 0.3
Processed meat, servings/d	0.3 ± 0.3	0.1 ± 0.2	0.0 ± 0.1	0.7 ± 0.6	0.4 ± 0.4	0.1 ± 0.2	0.5 ± 0.4	0.2 ± 0.2	0.1 ± 0.1
Coffee intake, servings/d	2.0 ± 1.9	2.5 ± 1.9	2.7 ± 1.9	1.6 ± 1.7	2.0 ± 1.8	2.0 ± 1.8	0.8 ± 1.4	1.6 ± 1.7	2.1 ± 1.7
Sweetened beverages, servings/d	0.7 ± 0.9	0.3 ± 0.5	0.1 ± 0.2	0.9 ± 0.9	0.3 ± 0.5	0.1 ± 0.2	1.2 ± 1.3	0.4 ± 0.7	0.1 ± 0.3
Yogurt, servings/d	0.0 ± 0.1	0.1 ± 0.2	0.1 ± 0.3	0.0 ± 0.1	0.1 ± 0.2	0.2 ± 0.4	0.0 ± 0.1	0.1 ± 0.2	0.3 ± 0.4
Nuts, servings/d	0.3 ± 0.4	0.3 ± 0.5	0.4 ± 0.6	1.6 ± 1.8	1.6 ± 1.8	1.6 ± 1.8	0.1 ± 0.1	0.1 ± 0.1	0.1 ± 0.2
Whole grains, servings/d	0.5 ± 0.7	0.9 ± 0.9	1.6 ± 0.7	0.6 ± 0.7	1.3 ± 1.2	2.5 ± 1.8	0.7 ± 0.7	1.3 ± 1.1	2.2 ± 1.4
Refined grains, servings/d	2.2 ± 1.3	1.3 ± 1.0	0.7 ± 0.6	2.1 ± 1.4	1.2 ± 1.0	0.7 ± 0.7	2.2 ± 1.2	1.5 ± 0.9	1.2 ± 0.7
Snack chips, servings/d	0.3 ± 0.3	0.1 ± 0.2	0.0 ± 0.1	0.3 ± 0.3	0.1 ± 0.2	0.0 ± 0.1	0.3 ± 0.3	0.2 ± 0.2	0.0 ± 0.1
Fried foods away from home, times/wk	0.4 ± 0.3	0.2 ± 0.3	0.1 ± 0.1	0.3 ± 0.2	0.2 ± 0.2	0.1 ± 0.1	0.3 ± 0.2	0.2 ± 0.1	0.1 ± 0.1

¹Values are means ± SDs unless otherwise indicated. Baseline is 1984 for NHS, 1986 for HPFS, and 1989 for NHS II. D, decile; FQS, Food Quality Score; HPFS, Health Professionals Follow-Up Study; MET, metabolic equivalent of task; NHS, Nurses’ Health Study; NHS II, Nurses’ Health Study II.