. 2018 Sep 11;6:e5500. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5500

Table 5. Comparison of beliefs and perceptions of nuts between the general public and health professionals.

Beliefs and perceptions	Dietitians (n = 318)	General practitioners (n = 292)	Practice nurses (n = 149)	General population Non-health professionals (n = 668)	Unadjusted P-value	^*Adjusted P-value
Some of them are high in selenium¹	1.6 (1.5, 1.6)^a	1.9 (1.8, 2.0)^b	1.8 (1.7, 1.9)^b	2.2 (2.2, 2.3)^c	<0.001	<0.001
They are low in energy/calories²	4.5 (4.4, 4.5)^a	4.4 (4.3, 4.5)^a	4.0 (3.8, 4.2)^b	3.5 (3.4, 3.6)^c	<0.001	<0.001
They are healthy¹	1.7 (1.6, 1.8)^a	2.0 (1.9, 2.1)^bc	1.9 (1.8, 2.0)^b	2.1 (2.0, 2.2)^c	<0.001	<0.001
They are high in protein¹	1.9 (1.8, 2.0)^a	2.0 (1.9, 2.1)^a	1.8 (1.8, 1.9)^a	2.1 (2.0, 2.1)^b	0.001	0.013
They are filling¹	1.9 (1.9, 2.0)^a	2.0 (1.9, 2.1)^ab	2.1 (2.0, 2.2)^bc	2.2 (2.2, 2.3)^c	<0.001	<0.001
They are high in fat¹	1.7 (1.6, 1.8)^a	2.1 (2.0, 2.2)^b	2.1 (2.0, 2.3)^b	2.4 (2.1, 2.5)^c	<0.001	<0.001
They are low in vitamins & minerals²	4.2 (4.1, 4.3)^a	4.1 (4.0, 4.2)^a	3.8 (3.6, 4.0)^b	3.5 (3.4, 3.6)^c	<0.001	<0.001
Eating them can increase people’s risk of cardiovascular disease²	4.3 (4.2, 4.4)^a	3.8 (3.7, 3.9)^b	3.7 (3.6, 3.9)^b	3.4 (3.3, 3.5)^c	<0.001	<0.001
They are high in antioxidants¹	2.1 (2.1, 2.2)^a	2.3 (2.2, 2.4)^b	2.3 (2.1, 2.4)^b	2.5 (2.4, 2.6)^b	<0.001	<0.001
They are naturally high in salt/sodium²	4.3 (4.2, 4.3)^a	3.7 (3.5, 3.8)^b	3.6 (3.4, 3.7)^b	3.0 (2.9, 3.1)^c	<0.001	<0.001
They are low in fibre²	4.0 (3.9, 4.1)^a	3.6 (3.4, 3.7)^b	3.6 (3.4, 3.8)^b	3.4 (3.3, 3.5)^b	<0.001	<0.001
Eating them can increase people’s total blood cholesterol²	4.0 (3.9, 4.1)^a	3.4 (3.3, 3.5)^b	3.4 (3.3, 3.6)^bc	3.2 (3.1, 3.3)^c	<0.001	<0.001
Some of them are high in iron⁴	2.8 (2.7, 3.0)^a	2.7 (2.5, 2.8)^a	2.4 (2.2, 2.6)^b	2.3 (2.3, 2.4)^b	<0.001	<0.001
Eating them can help lower people’s risk of diabetes³	2.6 (2.6, 2.7)	2.7 (2.6, 2.8)	2.7 (2.5, 2.9)	2.8 (2.7, 2.9)	0.186	0.096
Eating them will cause people to gain weight²	3.4 (3.3, 3.5)	3.2 (3.1, 3.3)	3.2 (3.1, 3.4)	3.1 (3.0, 3.2)	0.017	0.068

Notes.

Values are means (95% Confidence Intervals).

P-values are determined using linear regression.

Adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, employment.

Values with different superscript letters are significantly different, P < 0.05.

1 = strongly agree, 2 = agree, 3 = neither agree nor disagree, 4 = disagree, 5 = strongly disagree.

Note some statements are supported by current evidence and some are worded in contradiction to current evidence.

Statements that are strongly supported by current evidence.

Statements that are strongly contradicted by current evidence.

Statements where current evidence is uncertain.

⁴

Some nuts such as pistachios, cashews and almonds contain useful (>4 mg of non-haeme iron/100g) amounts of iron, but bioavailability and significance will rely on other dietary factors.