TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics of 1392 women and 1462 men with plasma fatty acid measurements in the Nurses’ Health Study (1990) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1994)1
| Women (n = 1392) | Men (n = 1462) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 60.4 ± 6.4 | 65.0 ± 8.6 |
| Age range, y | 43–70 | 47–81 |
| Race/ethnicity, % | ||
| Caucasian | 99.3 | 93.6 |
| African American | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Asian/other | 0.4 | 6.3 |
| Weight status, % | ||
| Normal (BMI <25) | 55.4 | 42.1 |
| Overweight (BMI 25 to <30) | 31.5 | 47.1 |
| Obese (BMI ≥30) | 13.1 | 10.8 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 25.3 ± 4.5 | 25.8 ± 3.3 |
| Smoking status, % | ||
| Current smoker | 18.3 | 8.2 |
| Past smoker | 40.2 | 49.4 |
| Never smoker | 41.5 | 42.5 |
| Physical activity, MET-h/wk | 16.4 ± 19.4 | 36.4 ± 39.0 |
| Medical history | ||
| Hypertension, % | 22.5 | 25.1 |
| Hypercholesterolemia, % | 35.9 | 26.8 |
| Family history of diabetes, % | 26.9 | 22.9 |
| Dietary factors | ||
| Total energy, kcal/d | 1765 ± 507 | 2046 ± 622 |
| Peanuts, g/d | 2.2 ± 5.9 | 4.9 ± 10.9 |
| Peanut butter, g/d | 4.0 ± 8.4 | 2.8 ± 6.1 |
| Fruits, servings/d | 1.7 ± 1.2 | 1.8 ± 1.5 |
| Vegetables, servings/d | 3.9 ± 2.2 | 4.1 ± 2.3 |
| Unprocessed meats, servings/d | 0.9 ± 0.5 | 0.9 ± 0.6 |
| Processed meats, servings/d | 0.2 ± 0.3 | 0.3 ± 0.4 |
| Coffee, mL/d | 369 ± 377 | 469 ± 410 |
| Alcohol, g/d | 5.7 ± 10.3 | 12.2 ± 16.2 |
| AHEI | 48.9 ± 10.3 | 48.6 ± 10.4 |
| Plasma fatty acids, % of total fatty acids | ||
| Arachidic acid | 0.20 ± 0.1 | 0.18 ± 0.1 |
| Behenic acid | 0.52 ± 0.2 | 0.46 ± 0.2 |
| Lignoceric acid | 0.40 ± 0.2 | 0.38 ± 0.2 |
| Erythrocyte fatty acids, % of total fatty acids | ||
| Arachidic acid | 0.44 ± 0.1 | 0.39 ± 0.1 |
| Behenic acid | 1.51 ± 0.4 | 1.58 ± 0.3 |
| Lignoceric acid | 3.12 ± 0.9 | 3.88 ± 0.8 |
1
Values are means ± SDs for continuous variables and percentages for categorical variables. BMI in kg/m2. AHEI, Alternative Healthy Eating Index; MET, metabolic equivalent.