TABLE 1.
Age-standardized characteristics of participants in the NHS and HPFS according to cumulative average intake of ALA in 1998 (the middle of follow-up)1
| ALA intake |
|||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | |
| NHS | |||||
| ALA, mg/d | 738 ± 64 | 860 ± 25 | 943 ± 24 | 1036 ± 32 | 1242 ± 153 |
| Participants, n | 13,257 | 13,246 | 13,264 | 13,258 | 13,245 |
| Age, y | 64 ± 7 | 63 ± 7 | 63 ± 7 | 64 ± 7 | 64 ± 7 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 26.1 ± 5.0 | 26.6 ± 5.1 | 26.8 ± 5.2 | 27.0 ± 5.4 | 27.1 ± 5.5 |
| Caucasian, % | 96 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 96 |
| Current smoker, % | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| Never smoker, % | 47 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 41 |
| Physical activity, MET-h/wk | 11 (4–24) | 11 (4–24) | 11 (4–23) | 10 (4–23) | 10 (3–22) |
| Hypertension, % | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 |
| Hypercholesterolemia, % | 59 | 58 | 57 | 56 | 54 |
| Postmenopausal, % | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 |
| Current menopausal hormone use,2 % | 44 | 45 | 46 | 45 | 45 |
| Current aspirin use, % | 47 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 47 |
| Dietary intake | |||||
| DHA, mg/d | 133 ± 83 | 137 ± 81 | 140 ± 82 | 139 ± 84 | 143 ± 91 |
| LA, g/d | 7.3 ± 1.5 | 8.1 ± 1.4 | 8.7 ± 1.3 | 9.3 ± 1.4 | 10.8 ± 1.9 |
| trans Fat, g/d | 2.5 ± 0.7 | 2.7 ± 0.7 | 2.9 ± 0.8 | 2.9 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.9 |
| Saturated fat, g/d | 17.7 ± 3.6 | 19.0 ± 3.5 | 19.7 ± 3.8 | 20.4 ± 4.0 | 21.3 ± 4.5 |
| Monounsaturated fat, g/d | 19.2 ± 3.6 | 20.8 ± 3.4 | 21.7 ± 3.6 | 22.5 ± 3.7 | 23.7 ± 4.0 |
| Alternative healthy-eating index | 50.6 ± 9.7 | 50.8 ± 9.3 | 51.0 ± 9.2 | 51.2 ± 9.3 | 52.1 ± 9.4 |
| Total energy intake, kcal/d | 1695 ± 434 | 1743 ± 436 | 1770 ± 433 | 1770 ± 433 | 1732 ± 441 |
| HPFS | |||||
| ALA, mg/d | 840 ± 79 | 987 ± 30 | 1085 ± 28 | 1196 ± 38 | 1445 ± 196 |
| Participants, n | 6148 | 6115 | 6161 | 6091 | 6180 |
| Age, y | 64 ± 9 | 64 ± 9 | 64 ± 9 | 64 ± 9 | 64 ± 9 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 25.5 ± 3.2 | 26.0 ± 3.5 | 26.3 ± 3.6 | 26.4 ± 3.7 | 26.4 ± 3.7 |
| Caucasian, % | 94 | 95 | 96 | 96 | 95 |
| Current smoker, % | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Never smoker, % | 52 | 51 | 51 | 49 | 48 |
| Physical activity, MET-h/wk | 24 (9–47) | 24 (10–47) | 24 (10–47) | 23 (10–47) | 23 (9–47) |
| Hypertension, % | 38 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 37 |
| Hypercholesterolemia, % | 51 | 50 | 48 | 47 | 45 |
| Current aspirin use, % | 61 | 63 | 63 | 62 | 58 |
| Dietary intake | |||||
| DHA, mg/d | 206 ± 142 | 206 ± 127 | 203 ± 130 | 206 ± 133 | 213 ± 158 |
| LA, g/d | 9.3 ± 2.1 | 10.2 ± 1.9 | 10.8 ± 1.8 | 11.6 ± 1.8 | 13.2 ± 2.4 |
| trans Fat, g/d | 2.8 ± 1.1 | 3.1 ± 1.0 | 3.3 ± 1.0 | 3.4 ± 1.1 | 3.4 ± 1.1 |
| Saturated fat, g/d | 19.7 ± 4.8 | 21.7 ± 4.5 | 22.9 ± 4.7 | 23.8 ± 4.9 | 24.9 ± 5.5 |
| Monounsaturated fat, g/d | 23.3 ± 5.1 | 25.6 ± 4.6 | 26.9 ± 4.5 | 28.1 ± 4.6 | 29.5 ± 5.1 |
| Alternative healthy-eating index | 54.0 ± 10.4 | 53.9 ± 9.8 | 53.6 ± 9.9 | 53.8 ± 9.9 | 55.3 ± 10.1 |
| Total energy intake, kcal/d | 1934 ± 520 | 1985 ± 520 | 1997 ± 527 | 2009 ± 528 | 1968 ± 543 |
1
Values are means ± SDs or medians (IQRs) unless otherwise indicated. ALA, α-linolenic acid; HPFS, Health Professionals Follow-up Study; LA, linoleic acid; MET-h, hours of metabolic equivalent tasks; NHS, Nurses’ Health Study; Q, quintile.
2
Current menopausal hormone use among postmenopausal women.