TABLE 1.
Age-adjusted baseline characteristics by AHEI score in the NHS, NHS II, and HPFS1
| Characteristic | AHEI score | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS (2002) | NHS II (1995) | HPFS (1996) | ||||
| Quintile 1, unhealthiest (n = 11,534) | Quintile 5, healthiest (n = 11,455) | Quintile 1, unhealthiest (n = 13,825) | Quintile 5, healthiest (n = 13,843) | Quintile 1, unhealthiest (n = 4015) | Quintile 5, healthiest (n = 3824) | |
| AHEI score, median (range) | 40.8 (17.3–44.6) | 64.8 (60.4–94.7) | 35.8 (16.0–39.7) | 61.7 (56.9–95.4) | 40.1 (16.5–44.4) | 67.2 (62.3–94.3) |
| Age, y | 65.1 ± 6.4 | 67.8 ± 6.5 | 40.1 ± 4.7 | 41.7 ± 4.4 | 57.3 ± 6.7 | 60.6 ± 7.3 |
| Nonwhite | 4.8 | 7.2 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| BMI,2 kg/m2 | 27.5 ± 5.6 | 25.8 ± 4.7 | 26.4 ± 6.4 | 24.6 ± 5.0 | 22.8 ± 9.7 | 21.8 ± 9.5 |
| Waist circumference, cm | 88.5 ± 11.8 | 84.1 ± 11.4 | 88.9 ± 14.4 | 83.9 ± 12.9 | 101.7 ± 10.7 | 97.6 ± 10.1 |
| Smoking status | ||||||
| Never smoked | 52.2 | 42.5 | 71.2 | 61.3 | 53.4 | 55.3 |
| Past smoker | 36.8 | 53.8 | 17.1 | 31.4 | 38.1 | 42.2 |
| Current smoker | 11.0 | 3.7 | 11.7 | 7.3 | 8.5 | 2.5 |
| Pack-years of smoking3 | 21.7 ± 18.0 | 15.1 ± 13.8 | 13.6 ± 10.0 | 10.6 ± 7.7 | 23.5 ± 17.2 | 16.4 ± 12.8 |
| Habitual sleep duration, h | 7.2 ± 1.2 | 7.1 ± 1.1 | 7.0 ± 1.1 | 7.0 ± 1.0 | 7.2 ± 1.0 | 7.1 ± 1.0 |
| Habitual snoring, ≥4 nights/wk | 31.1 | 23.6 | 31.6 | 22.8 | 38.4 | 29.3 |
| Excessive daytime sleepiness, ≥4 d/wk | 3.9 | 2.9 | 12.1 | 9.3 | 11.2 | 8.6 |
| Physical activity,4 MET-h/wk | 12.8 ± 13.2 | 25.2 ± 21.2 | 15.0 ± 19.0 | 31.6 ± 33.3 | 22.7 ± 19.3 | 36.3 ± 27.1 |
| Total energy intake, kcal/d | 1848 ± 441 | 1691 ± 434 | 1964 ± 491 | 1703 ± 491 | 2132 ± 531 | 1886 ± 522 |
| History of diabetes | 7.3 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| History of hypertension | 52.8 | 44.3 | 10.3 | 7.8 | 29.3 | 26.3 |
| Physical exams in the past 2 y | 92.6 | 94.6 | 88.2 | 90.5 | 64.5 | 72.3 |
| Postmenopausal | 99.3 | 99.3 | 7.5 | 7.0 | — | — |
| Ever estrogen-only HT use | 40.1 | 44.8 | 4.8 | 3.5 | — | — |
| Ever estrogen + progestin HT use | 36.6 | 44.5 | 1.6 | 2.2 | — | — |
1
Values are means ± SDs or percentages. AHEI, Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010; HPFS, Health Professionals Follow-up Study; HT, hormone therapy; MET, metabolic equivalent task; NHS, Nurses’ Health Study.
2
Calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
3
Among ever smokers.
4
Weekly energy expenditure in MET-hours per week from recreational and leisure-time physical activity.