Table 1.
Cohort characteristics and Mediterranean diet adherence in the Fenland Study (n=12,417).
| Cohort Characteristics | Mean (SD) or % | Mean (SD) of the Mediterranean diet score Overall: 9.0 (1.4) | % in top third of the score | P* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test site (%)† | ||||
| Wisbech | 27.0 | 8.5 (1.4) | 20.9 | |
| Ely | 36.9 | 8.9 (1.4) | 30.5 | |
| Cambridge | 36.1 | 9.4 (1.4) | 45.5 | <0.001 |
| Age (years) | 48.6 (7.5) | - | - | 0.05 |
| Sex (%) | ||||
| Men | 46.2 | 8.7 (1.4) | 24.7 | |
| Women | 53.8 | 9.3 (1.4) | 40.8 | <0.001 |
| Education level (%)‡ | ||||
| Compulsory | 19.9 | 8.5 (1.4) | 19.2 | |
| Further | 46.2 | 8.8 (1.4) | 28.4 | |
| Higher | 33.9 | 9.6 (1.3) | 48.7 | <0.001 |
| Household income (%) | ||||
| ≤ £25,000 | 32.9 | 8.7 (1.4) | 25.6 | |
| £25,001 to £44,775 | 34.2 | 9.1 (1.4) | 34.8 | |
| ≥ £44,776 | 33.0 | 9.3 (1.4) | 40.9 | <0.001 |
| Marital status (%) | ||||
| Single | 9.1 | 9.1 (1.6) | 38.1 | |
| Married | 81.4 | 9.0 (1.4) | 33.8 | |
| Other§ | 9.5 | 9.1 (1.5) | 37.1 | 0.49 |
| Occupation (%)‖ | ||||
| Routine/Tech/Other | 41.5 | 8.6 (1.4) | 23.5 | |
| Manager/Professional | 58.5 | 9.3 (1.4) | 40.8 | <0.001 |
| Smoking status (%) | ||||
| Never | 54.5 | 9.1 (1.4) | 34.5 | |
| Former | 33.3 | 9.1 (1.4) | 35.6 | |
| Current | 12.2 | 8.4 (1.5) | 21.4 | <0.001 |
| Energy intake (kcal) | 1968 (689) | - | - | <0.001 |
| Energy expenditure (KJ/kg/day) | 53.6 (22.1) | - | - | 0.06 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 26.9 (4.8) | - | - | <0.001 |
| Use of antihypertensive drug (%) | ||||
| No | 92.6 | 9.0 (1.4) | 33.9 | |
| Yes | 7.5 | 8.8 (1.4) | 26.3 | <0.001 |
| >10% of QRISK2¶ | ||||
| No | 95.4 | 9.0 (1.4) | 34.0 | |
| Yes | 4.6 | 8.5 (1.4) | 20.1 | <0.001 |
For all variables, P-values were estimated based on crude linear regression of Mediterranean diet score (fitted as continuous variable) and each cohort characteristic. For age, energy intake, energy expenditure, and BMI, the P-value represents significance of its association between Mediterranean diet adherence. For the other cohort characteristics, the P-value represents significance in heterogeneity of Mediterranean diet adherence across strata of cohort characteristics.
Of the three sites, Cambridge was the least deprived, followed by Ely, and Wisbech was the most deprived.
Compulsory includes ‘school leaving certificate’, ‘CSE’, ‘GCE O level or GCSE’; Further includes ‘matriculation’, ‘GCE A level, AS level, highers’, ‘technical college exams, city & guilds’, ‘HND GNVQ’, ‘completed apprenticeship’, ‘secretarial college exams’, ‘teaching diploma, HNC, NVQ’, ‘trade certificates’; Higher includes ‘university degree’.
Other included widowed, separated or divorced.
Routine/Tech/Others included clerical, technical, semi-routine and routine jobs; Manager/Professional included modern professional, senior manager, middle management and traditional professional jobs.
Cardiovascular risk score for 10 year risk of cardiovascular diseases.