Table 2.

Basic characteristics and dietary intakes of study participants by frequency of egg consumption n (%)

	Egg consumption categories			P valuea
	< 2/wk (n = 589)	2-3/wk (n = 142)	≥ 4 /wk (n = 220)
Age (yr)	45.65 ± 12.26	39.73 ± 13.18	40.35 ± 13.30	< 0.001
Male gender	218 (37.0)	56 (39.4)	121 (55)	< 0.001
BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD	28.58 ± 5.44	29.60 ± 7.34	28.51 ± 5.87	0.150
Physical activity (MET), mean ± SD	33.99 ± 3.05	33.42 ± 3.21	33.94 ± 2.95	0.136
Current smokers	155 (26.3)	59 (41.8)	82 (37.3)	< 0.001
Total energy (kcal), mean ± SEM	2580.59 ± 30.68	2744.94 ± 57.45	3101.07 ± 51.20	< 0.001
Carbohydrate (% of total energy), mean ± SEM	60.44 ± 0.67	59.48 ± 0.63	58.14 ± 0.85	0.001
Protein (% of total energy), mean ± SEM	14.09 ± 0.10	14.71 ± 0.20	14.95 ± 0.17	0.001
Fat (% of total energy), mean ± SEM	33.06 ± 0.24	32.56 ± 0.49	32.97 ± 0.40	< 0.001
Dietary cholesterol (mg/d)	226.40 ± 5.75	291.95 ± 11.60	383.90 ± 9.53	< 0.001
Saturated fat (g/d)	56.70 ± 3.16	64.70 ± 6.38	52.57 ± 5.24	< 0.001
Monounsaturated fat (g/d) (mg/d), mean ± SEM	31.20 ± 0.26	31.32 ± 0.53	32.91 ± 0.44	< 0.001
Polyunsaturated fat (g/d) (mg/d), mean ± SEM	53.10 ± 3.20	57.26 ± 6.45	46.71 ± 5.30	< 0.001
Dietary fiber (g/d)	15.65 ± 0.28	16.25 ± 0.57	14.60 ± 0.47	< 0.001
Red/processed meats (g/d)	37.76 ± 1.53	47.79 ± 3.10	50.51 ± 2.54	< 0.001

^aDietary intakes (except total energy) were adjusted for age and total energy intake. BMI: Body mass index; MET: Metabolic equivalent task.