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. 2020 May 26;112(3):619–630. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa115

TABLE 1.

Age-adjusted characteristics of participants in the NHS (1998), the NHS II (1999), and the HPFS (1998) according to whole egg consumption1

Frequency of egg consumption
Characteristics <1/mo 1 to <4/mo 1 to <3/wk 3 to <5/wk 5 to <7/wk ≥1/d
NHS (1998)
 Participants, n 2477 14,769 38,484 11,533 1591 836
 Age,2 y 64.8 ± 7.1 63.8 ± 7.1 63.5 ± 7.1 63.2 ± 7.0 62.7 ± 6.9 63.5 ± 6.8
 BMI, kg/m2 25.4 ± 4.9 25.7 ± 4.7 26.5 ± 5.0 27.3 ± 5.6 27.3 ± 6.2 27.6 ± 6.1
 Physical activity, MET-h/wk 20.4 ± 30.8 17.9 ± 21.8 17.3 ± 20.6 17.0 ± 21.4 17.0 ± 21.9 18.9 ± 27.9
 Caucasian, % 97 98 98 98 97 98
 Current smoker, % 14 12 10 11 13 13
 Family history of diabetes, % 27 27 27 26 27 24
 History of hypertension, % 47 48 49 49 50 48
 History of hypercholesterolemia, % 57 58 57 51 50 48
 Current statin use, % 20 18 16 11 9 9
 Current multivitamin use, % 56 58 61 60 58 56
 Fasting blood glucose screening,3 % 50 52 54 49 47 42
 Dietary intake
  Total energy, kcal/d 1492 ± 401 1547 ± 383 1723 ± 395 1883 ± 440 1922 ± 473 1942 ± 489
  Alcohol, g/d 5.6 ± 9.0 5.7 ± 8.5 5.9 ± 8.5 6.3 ± 9.2 6.3 ± 9.4 6.1 ± 9.8
  Egg, units/d 0.02 ± 0.01 0.09 ± 0.03 0.27 ± 0.08 0.50 ± 0.08 0.81 ± 0.07 1.38 ± 0.52
  Red meat, servings/d 0.69 ± 0.45 0.73 ± 0.40 0.81 ± 0.40 0.96 ± 0.47 1.03 ± 0.62 1.02 ± 0.62
  Bacon, servings/d 0.04 ± 0.07 0.05 ± 0.06 0.08 ± 0.09 0.13 ± 0.13 0.17 ± 0.22 0.19 ± 0.31
  Other processed meat, servings/d 0.12 ± 0.15 0.15 ± 0.15 0.19 ± 0.17 0.23 ± 0.21 0.25 ± 0.24 0.25 ± 0.29
  Refined grains, servings/d 1.11 ± 0.73 1.14 ± 0.69 1.28 ± 0.73 1.45 ± 0.86 1.48 ± 1.02 1.52 ± 1.15
  Potatoes, servings/d 0.43 ± 0.29 0.43 ± 0.27 0.48 ± 0.26 0.53 ± 0.29 0.53 ± 0.39 0.51 ± 0.38
  Fruits, servings/d 1.69 ± 1.10 1.68 ± 0.99 1.85 ± 0.96 1.95 ± 1.05 1.99 ± 1.19 1.98 ± 1.31
  Vegetables, servings/d 3.20 ± 1.67 3.14 ± 1.50 3.41 ± 1.51 3.49 ± 1.61 3.44 ± 1.75 3.42 ± 2.01
  Full-fat milk, servings/d 0.11 ± 0.30 0.12 ± 0.28 0.13 ± 0.29 0.19 ± 0.39 0.24 ± 0.47 0.28 ± 0.54
  Coffee, servings/d 2.11 ± 1.59 2.14 ± 1.49 2.24 ± 1.47 2.36 ± 1.56 2.46 ± 1.71 2.44 ± 1.74
  Fruit juice, servings/d 0.64 ± 0.57 0.66 ± 0.55 0.73 ± 0.55 0.79 ± 0.59 0.76 ± 0.60 0.72 ± 0.64
  Sugar-sweetened beverages, servings/d 0.32 ± 0.56 0.31 ± 0.51 0.30 ± 0.45 0.33 ± 0.49 0.36 ± 0.57 0.34 ± 0.57
  Cholesterol, mg 171 ± 54 198 ± 51 262 ± 58 343 ± 65 432 ± 77 577 ± 165
NHS II (1999)
 Participants, n 8958 35,281 31,984 8338 753 416
 Age,2 y 44.3 ± 4.7 44.0 ± 4.7 44.3 ± 4.6 44.6 ± 4.6 45.0 ± 4.5 45.3 ± 4.6
 BMI, kg/m2 25.4 ± 5.7 26.1 ± 5.8 26.7 ± 6.2 27.3 ± 6.6 27.7 ± 6.6 28.8 ± 8.2
 Physical activity, MET-h/wk 22.7 ± 27.2 18.8 ± 23.2 17.8 ± 21.8 17.4 ± 21.8 17.5 ± 26.2 19.4 ± 28.7
 Caucasian, % 96 97 97 96 96 95
 Current smoker, % 9 9 9 10 9 9
 Family history of diabetes, % 31 33 34 34 33 35
 History of hypertension, % 14 14 15 16 17 21
 History of hypercholesterolemia, % 25 24 24 22 24 24
 Current statin use, % 4 3 3 2 3 2
 Current multivitamin use, % 55 55 58 57 60 62
 Fasting blood glucose screening,3 % 42 44 45 43 44 45
 Dietary intake
  Total energy, kcal/d 1569 ± 446 1700 ± 444 1906 ± 464 2115 ± 493 2056 ± 537 2148 ± 520
  Alcohol, g/d 3.1 ± 5.4 3.3 ± 5.6 3.6 ± 6.1 3.7 ± 6.5 3.6 ± 6.9 2.8 ± 5.3
  Egg, units/d 0.01 ± 0.01 0.08 ± 0.02 0.23 ± 0.07 0.47 ± 0.07 0.83 ± 0.08 1.32 ± 0.48
  Red meat, servings/d 0.50 ± 0.40 0.64 ± 0.40 0.75 ± 0.44 0.87 ± 0.51 0.86 ± 0.54 0.92 ± 0.66
  Bacon, servings/d 0.02 ± 0.05 0.04 ± 0.05 0.07 ± 0.08 0.11 ± 0.14 0.18 ± 0.26 0.21 ± 0.29
  Other processed meat, servings/d 0.09 ± 0.14 0.13 ± 0.14 0.18 ± 0.17 0.22 ± 0.22 0.23 ± 0.24 0.26 ± 0.32
  Refined grains, servings/d 1.38 ± 0.82 1.43 ± 0.78 1.62 ± 0.86 1.82 ± 0.98 1.67 ± 1.06 1.92 ± 1.35
  Potatoes, servings/d 0.43 ± 0.31 0.49 ± 0.30 0.55 ± 0.32 0.62 ± 0.35 0.58 ± 0.47 0.59 ± 0.42
  Fruits, servings/d 1.24 ± 0.98 1.17 ± 0.82 1.26 ± 0.81 1.33 ± 0.87 1.34 ± 0.98 1.34 ± 0.96
  Vegetables, servings/d 3.41 ± 2.15 3.27 ± 1.80 3.59 ± 1.85 3.81 ± 1.96 3.95 ± 2.14 4.02 ± 2.27
  Full-fat milk, servings/d 0.03 ± 0.16 0.05 ± 0.20 0.06 ± 0.23 0.09 ± 0.31 0.09 ± 0.28 0.14 ± 0.43
  Coffee, servings/d 1.44 ± 1.50 1.51 ± 1.48 1.58 ± 1.49 1.64 ± 1.57 1.70 ± 1.65 1.54 ± 1.61
  Fruit juice, servings/d 0.56 ± 0.69 0.59 ± 0.62 0.69 ± 0.65 0.78 ± 0.71 0.68 ± 0.73 0.71 ± 0.67
  Sugar-sweetened beverages, servings/d 0.40 ± 0.73 0.47 ± 0.73 0.50 ± 0.74 0.58 ± 0.81 0.48 ± 0.77 0.52 ± 1.05
  Cholesterol, mg 162 ± 61 200 ± 59 255 ± 65 329 ± 71 405 ± 77 510 ± 132
HPFS (1998)
 Participants, n 4520 9665 13,013 5514 903 839
 Age,2 y 63.6 ± 8.8 63.4 ± 8.8 64.2 ± 9.0 64.9 ± 9.0 64.5 ± 8.8 64.9 ± 8.9
 BMI, kg/m2 25.4 ± 3.5 25.9 ± 3.5 26.2 ± 3.5 26.7 ± 4.2 26.5 ± 3.6 26.3 ± 3.8
 Physical activity, MET-h/wk 38.1 ± 41.6 36.1 ± 40.5 33.7 ± 37.5 34.2 ± 39.7 34.6 ± 37.4 37.9 ± 44.8
 Caucasian, % 95 95 96 95 95 96
 Current smoker, % 3 4 6 8 10 12
 Family history of diabetes, % 14 14 14 13 13 11
 History of hypertension, % 43 42 42 40 36 35
 History of hypercholesterolemia, % 56 51 47 38 36 30
 Current statin use, % 24 19 14 8 6 6
 Current multivitamin use, % 62 61 60 60 61 60
 Fasting blood glucose screening,3 % 68 69 67 61 58 55
 Dietary intake
  Total energy, kcal/d 1779 ± 482 1862 ± 482 2022 ± 511 2192 ± 571 2281 ± 555 2365 ± 560
  Alcohol, g/d 8.9 ± 12.0 10.1 ± 12.5 11.5 ± 13.3 12.5 ± 14.3 11.4 ± 12.9 12.3 ± 15.3
  Egg, units/d 0.01 ± 0.01 0.08 ± 0.03 0.25 ± 0.08 0.48 ± 0.08 0.83 ± 0.07 1.56 ± 0.52
  Red meat, servings/d 0.47 ± 0.44 0.63 ± 0.43 0.78 ± 0.46 0.94 ± 0.53 1.02 ± 0.57 1.16 ± 0.69
  Bacon, servings/d 0.02 ± 0.06 0.05 ± 0.08 0.09 ± 0.10 0.16 ± 0.17 0.25 ± 0.26 0.36 ± 0.40
  Other processed meat, servings/d 0.10 ± 0.18 0.16 ± 0.19 0.23 ± 0.23 0.28 ± 0.28 0.32 ± 0.31 0.33 ± 0.33
  Refined grains, servings/d 1.19 ± 0.82 1.19 ± 0.78 1.31 ± 0.83 1.44 ± 0.96 1.55 ± 1.03 1.64 ± 1.16
  Potatoes, servings/d 0.46 ± 0.33 0.51 ± 0.32 0.57 ± 0.32 0.63 ± 0.36 0.67 ± 0.39 0.69 ± 0.38
  Fruits, servings/d 1.94 ± 1.43 1.70 ± 1.18 1.62 ± 1.06 1.57 ± 1.05 1.61 ± 1.12 1.45 ± 0.99
  Vegetables, servings/d 3.99 ± 2.32 3.69 ± 1.88 3.70 ± 1.82 3.73 ± 1.81 3.87 ± 1.92 3.73 ± 1.74
  Full-fat milk, servings/d 0.03 ± 0.15 0.06 ± 0.24 0.09 ± 0.29 0.15 ± 0.38 0.23 ± 0.51 0.27 ± 0.53
  Coffee, servings/d 1.48 ± 1.45 1.74 ± 1.51 1.94 ± 1.54 2.10 ± 1.60 2.12 ± 1.51 2.40 ± 1.77
  Fruit juice, servings/d 0.84 ± 0.76 0.79 ± 0.67 0.80 ± 0.65 0.82 ± 0.71 0.82 ± 0.70 0.82 ± 0.76
  Sugar-sweetened beverages, servings/d 0.28 ± 0.49 0.33 ± 0.46 0.36 ± 0.50 0.42 ± 0.55 0.43 ± 0.54 0.40 ± 0.55
  Cholesterol, mg 180 ± 64 217 ± 65 273 ± 72 350 ± 81 438 ± 83 600 ± 144
1

Values are means ± SDs or percentages and are standardized to the age distribution of the study population in 1998/1999 (i.e., approximately the midpoint of follow-up). HPFS, Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study; MET, metabolic equivalent of task; NHS, Nurses’ Health Study.

2

Value is not age-adjusted.

3

Values refer to the first assessment of fasting blood glucose examination (1998 for the NHS, 2001 for the NHS II, and 2000 for the HPFS).