Table 3.
The MCAP Score and individual food components of the score before and after dietary intervention. Data shown is mean, SD and percent of subjects with a maximal score. For each diet sub-score, the values range 0-2 with higher score indicating a more optimal diet. For the total MCAP score, the maximum value reached by any individual after 6 months of intervention was 20 of 22 total points possible.
| Dietary Score | Baseline, n=120 | Healthy Eating at 6 Months, n=47 | Mediterranean at 6 Months, n=47 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCAP Score | 7.1 (2.8, 0%) | 10.9 (3.3, 0%) | 12.7 (3.4, 0%) a |
| Total Fruits and Vegetables | 0.84 (0.61, 11.7%) | 1.51 (0.65, 45.9%) | 1.55 (0.62, 49.2%) |
| Non-starchy vegetables | 0.43 (0.50, 42.5%) | 1.00 (0.66, 16.4%) | 1.04 (0.72, 22.0%) |
| Whole Grains | 0.67 (0.75, 16.7%) | 1.51 (0.66, 59.6%) | 1.34 (0.73, 48.9%) |
| Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds | 1.01 (0.90, 41%) | 1.11 (0.87, 32.8%) | 1.55 (0.77, 57.6%) b |
| MUFA:SFA ratio | 0.71 (0.49, 1.7%) | 0.89 (0.48, 4.9%) | 1.60 (0.50, 47.5%) b |
| Long-chain ω-3 Fatty Acid Equivalent c | 0.54 (0.77, 16.7%) | 0.79 (0.83, 19.7%) | 1.02 (0.87, 30.5%) |
| Added Sugar | 0.34 (0.53, 2.5%) | 0.57 (0.68, 8.2%) | 0.74 (0.64, 8.5%) |
| Red Meat | 1.28 (0.83, 51.7%) | 1.64 (0.64, 55.7%) | 1.64 (0.64, 57.6%) |
| Processed Meat | 0.63 (0.78, 18.3%) | 0.96 (0.86, 26.2%) | 1.02 (0.82, 27.1%) |
| Processed Snack Foods | 0.62 (0.61, 6.7%) | 0.92 (0.75, 18%) | 1.19 (0.80, 33.9%) |
Mean MCAP score between the two diet groups at 6 months differs with p ≤ 0.01, as determined from a two-sided t-test.
The sub-score distributions at 6 months differ between the two diet groups, as determined from the Pearson Chi Square test, with p<0.014 in each case. For the Legumes, nuts, and seeds category, the difference between study arms was mainly due to nuts and seeds.
The long-chain ω-3 fatty acid equivalent in the diet was the sum of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid and 5% of linolenic acid intakes.