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. 2021 Oct 23;151(Suppl 2):162S–167S. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxab170

TABLE 1.

Age-standardized characteristics in the Nurses’ Health Study II population at 1991 baseline and average 4-y change by change of GDQS over the period 1991–20151

4-y change, points
1991 (n = 68,336) <−5 (decrease) −5 to <−2 (decrease) −2 to 2 (little change) >2 to 5 (increase) >5 (increase)
Age, y 36.3 ± 4.6
Current weight, kg 66.6 ± 15
4-y weight change, kg 3.0 ± 7.0 2.4 ± 6.2 1.7 ± 6.0 1.4 ± 6.1 0.7 ± 6.5
BMI, kg/m2 24.5 ± 5.3 1.1 ± 2.5 0.9 ± 2.3 0.6 ± 2.2 0.5 ± 2.2 0.3 ± 2.4
Physical activity, METs/wk 20.7 ± 27 −0.7 ± 30.1 −0.4 ± 27.8 −0.5 ± 27.9 0.2 ± 27.8 0.2 ± 27.6
Current smokers 11.9
Sleep, h/d 5.9 ± 1.0 5.9 ± 1.1 5.9 ± 1.0 5.9 ± 1.0 5.9 ± 1.0 5.9 ± 1.0
TV watching, h/wk 8.9 ± 8.5 0.3 ± 9.0 0.3 ± 8.5 0.2 ± 7.6 0.2 ± 8.5 0.3 ± 8.6
Alcohol, g/d 3.2 ± 6.1 0.4 ± 7.0 0.6 ± 6.9 0.5 ± 6.6 0.8 ± 6.6 0.9 ± 6.7
Total calories, kcal/d 1776 ± 534 −153 ± 509 −77 ± 491 −17 ± 479 73 ± 482 147 ± 505
GDQS 21.6 ± 5.1 −7.4 ± 1.8 −3.4 ± 0.9 0.0 ± 1.2 3.5 ± 0.9 7.8 ± 2.2
GDQS+ (healthy) score 13 ± 4.6 −5.7 ± 2.7 −2.9 ± 2.6 0.0 ± 2.8 2.7 ± 2.5 5.8 ± 2.9
GDQS− (unhealthy) score 8.6 ± 2.5 −1.7 ± 2.4 −0.8 ± 2.3 0.2 ± 2.3 1.0 ± 2.3 2.1 ± 2.5
MDD-W 4.2 ± 1.5 −1.0 ± 1.4 −0.5 ± 1.4 0.0 ± 1.4 0.4 ± 1.4 0.9 ± 1.4
AHEI-2010 48 ± 10.8 −5.5 ± 8.4 −1.7 ± 8.2 2.0 ± 8.2 5.8 ± 8.2 10.4 ± 8.9

1Values are means ± SDs for continuous variables and percentages for categorical variables. AHEI-2010, Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010; GDQS, Global Diet Quality Score; MDD-W, Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women; MET, metabolic equivalent.