TABLE 3.
Baseline characteristics of eligible participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, Nurses’ Health Study, and Nurses’ Health Study II
| Characteristics | HPFS (1990) N = 32,685 | NHS (1986) N = 60,635 | NHS II (1995) N = 72,091 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, year | 57.4 (9.6) | 52.4 (7.2) | 40.2 (4.7) |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 25.5 (3.1) | 25.1 (4.6) | 25.7 (5.8) |
| Physical activity, hours/wk | 7.2 (7.1) | 2.9 (3.3) | 3.2 (3.6) |
| Total energy intake, kcal/d | 1921 (575) | 1767 (517) | 1806 (545) |
| Dietary intake, servings/d | |||
| Fruits and vegetables | 4.59 (2.38) | 5.01 (2.52) | 4.37 (2.41) |
| Fish | 0.33 (0.28) | 0.30 (0.24) | 0.18 (0.17) |
| Whole grains | 1.84 (1.47) | 1.21 (1.05) | 1.34 (1.08) |
| Sugar-sweetened beverages | 0.31 (0.51) | 0.22 (0.45) | 0.43 (0.74) |
| Legumes/nuts/seeds | 0.74 (0.55) | 0.63 (0.42) | 0.49 (0.36) |
| Processed meat | 0.28 (0.32) | 0.28 (0.28) | 0.18 (0.20) |
| Caucasian/White, % | 91.9 | 98.0 | 94.8 |
| Current smoker, % | 7.3 | 20.9 | 10.5 |
| Family history of MI (at age <60 y), % | 12.4 | 25.4 | 28.3 |
| Multivitamin supplement use, % | 39.0 | 43.0 | 48.0 |
| Aspirin user, % | 28.9 | 71.3 | 24.4 |
| Premenopausal, % | — | 43.0 | 86.6 |
| Menopausal hormone user, % | — | 17.6 | 7.7 |
| Hypertension, % | 25.9 | 23.7 | 9.3 |
| Hypercholesterolemia, % | 30.5 | 11.9 | 21.1 |
Values are mean (standard deviation) or %. Abbreviations: HPFS, Health Professionals Follow-Up Study; MI, myocardial infarction; NHS, Nurses’ Health Study; NHS II, Nurses’ Health Study II.