Table 2. Population-weighted characteristics of the eligible sample and the full sample of U.S. adults ≥ 20 years (NHANES 2003–2006).

	Eligible Sample				Full Sample
	N	Mean	95% CL		N	Mean	95% CL
Age (years)	7497	43.2	42.5	43.9	4857	43.1	42.3	43.9
HEI Total Score	6873	54.9	54.3	55.5	4857	54.9	54.1	55.7
	N	%			N	%
Female	2692	41.9			1827	43.2
Race/Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White	3762	70.9			2520	72.2
Non-Hispanic Black	1693	11.6			1020	10.5
Mexican American	1479	8.3			973	8.3
Other	563	9.2			344	9.0
Education attainment
< Year 12	2009	16.6			1208	15.2
Year 12 or equivalent	1794	25.1			1148	24.4
Post high school	3683	58.3			2501	60.4
Marital Status
Married/living with partner	4786	66.9			3234	68.8
Widowed	330	2.3			191	2.2
Separated/divorced	942	12.4			610	12.2
Never married/single	1432	18.4			822	16.9
Poverty Income Ratio
Quartile 1 (0 to 1.29)	1857	17.9			1225	17.3
Quartile 2 (1.30 to 2.52)	1811	21.7			1204	21.5
Quartile 3 (2.53 to 4.39)	1738	28.2			1215	28.7
Quartile 4 (>4.40)	1705	32.1			1213	32.5
Smoking (serum cotinine)
non, < 10 ng/dL	5176	69.8			3474	69.9
light, 10–<100ng/dL	513	6.8			363	7.3
moderate, 100–<300 ng/dL	988	14.8			647	14.6
heavy, ≥300 ng/dL	574	8.7			373	8.3
BMI Category
Underweight (<18.5 kg/m2)	230	3.0			69	1.6
Healthy weight (18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2)	2115	31.2			1417	31.6
Overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2)	2520	33.2			1728	33.4
Obese (≥30.0 kg/m2)	2386	32.6			1643	33.3
Currently have flu, pneumonia, ear infection	319	4.7			231	4.6
Donated blood in past 12 months	295	5.7			236	6.1
Doctor told asthma	900	13.6			585	13.2
Treated for anemia/past 3 months	209	2.1			123	2.1
Ever receive blood transfusion	786	9.7			520	9.2
Doctor told arthritis	1530	19.8			1059	19.6
Ever had cancer or malignancy	528	6.7			364	6.7

CL = confidence limits. HEI = health eating index. BMI = body mass index (weight(kg)/height(m)²)