Table 3. Comparison of Selected Baseline Characteristics of Eating-Competent and Non–Eating-Competent Participants, Enhanced Lifestyle for Metabolic Syndrome Trial, US, October 16, 2019–March 12, 2020.
| Characteristic | Eating Competenta (n = 62) | Non–Eating Competenta (n = 70) | P valueb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body mass indexc | 35.3 (6.4) | 37.7 (7.1) | .049 |
| Age, y | 59.2 (10.5) | 55.1 (11.1) | .03 |
| Vitalityd | 63.6 (18.0) | 55.0 (19.8) | .01 |
| Mental healthe | 84.2 (8.7) | 78.4 (12.3) | .002 |
| Patient Health Questionnaire-8f | 1.6 (2.0) | 2.5 (2.5) | .04 |
| Perceived stressg | 17.0 (5.8) | 19.9 (6.6) | .007 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 131.6 (16.6) | 129.6 (15.9) | .48 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 81.0 (11.1) | 84.3 (10.3) | .08 |
| Triglycerides, mg/dL | 170.0 (79.6) | 177.3 (135.2) | .71 |
| High-density lipid cholesterol, mg/dL | 46.8 (10.1) | 45.8 (11.3) | .59 |
| Total cholesterol, mg/dL | 193.2 (44.1) | 192.9 (42.3) | .97 |
| Serum glucose, mg/dL | 98.4 (13.0) | 97.4 (10.8) | .61 |
| Hemoglobin A1c | 5.8 (0.3) | 5.8 (0.3) | .65 |
| Food secure, % | 92 | 74 | .008 |
Determined by the Satter Eating Competence Inventory. Eating competence is an intra-individual approach to eating and food behaviors that is associated with positive health outcomes, measured on a 16-item scale (7–11). Scores may range from 0 to 48; eating competence is defined as a score ≥32. Values are mean (SD) unless otherwise indicated.
Determined by independent t test; P < .05 considered significant.
Calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2); obesity defined as body mass index ≥30.0.
Measured by the 4-item SF-Vitality, which assesses energy and fatigue status, and is part of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, which assesses health-related quality of life across 8 categories (12). Scores range from 0 to 100; higher scores indicate greater vitality.
Measured by the 5-item SF-Mental Health, which assesses general mental health, especially depression and anxiety, and is part of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, which assesses health-related quality of life across 8 categories (12). Scores range from 0 to 100; higher scores indicate better mental health.
8-Item self-report measure to diagnose depressive disorders and assess level of severity (14). Scores can range from 0 to 24: 0–4, no to minimal depression; 5–9, mild; 10–14 moderate; 15–19, moderately severe; and 20–24, severe.
Assessed by the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale, which measures the degree to which situations in a person’s life are deemed stressful (13). Total scores range from 0 to 56 and can be categorized as low stress (score 0–19) or high stress (score 20–56).