Table 2.

Quality Assessment of Included Studies

	Year (Reference)	Selection				Comparability	Outcome/Exposure			Score
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
A. Carotid intimal‐medial thickness or plaques
	201110		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	200811		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	200512		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	200813		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201214		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	200915		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201316		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201418		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201017		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201519		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	200920		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201621		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201233		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
B. Coronary artery calcification or plaques
	200822		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201023		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201024		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201525		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201226		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201527		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	200728		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
C. Arterial stiffness
	201529		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201235		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201230		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201531		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
D. Flow‐mediated dilation
	201632		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	201233		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********
	200534		*	*	*	**	*	*	*	********