Table 2 General characteristics and HLS-AHEI-2010 components of participants according to quartiles of HLS-AHEI-2010

Mean score

1.00 ± 0.00

2.00 ± 0.00

3.00 ± 0.00

4.00 ± 0.00

 Age (year)

43.1 ± 11.9

41.4 ± 11.8

40.7 ± 12.7

39.1 ± 13.2

 < 0.001

 Male, %

53.5

43.2

42.6

48.5

0.001

 Academic education (graduated),%

27.6

26.5

30.8

37.0

0.001

 Employed, %

81.5

86.3

84.6

80.1

0.352

 Fasting plasma glucose (mg/dl)

94.5 ± 9.2

93.9 ± 8.6

92.2 ± 8.1

90.3 ± 7.8

 < 0.001

 Triglycerides (mg/dl)

140.0 (100.0 – 195.0)

125.0 (89.0 –175.0)

107.0 (77.0 –158.7)

97.0 (70.0 – 137.0)

 < 0.001

 Low density lipoprotein-Cholesterol (mg/dl)

116.0 ± 34.4

112.7 ± 30.8

111.0 ± 33.1

108.2 ± 34.3

0.005

 High density lipoprotein-Cholesterol (mg/dl)

45.1 ± 10.8

47.0 ± 11.3

48.4 ± 11.6

50.9 ± 11.3

 < 0.001

 Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

115.5 ± 16.1

113.8 ± 15.2

111.8 ± 16.1

107.8 ± 12.7

 < 0.001

 Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

76.5 ± 10.8

76.1 ± 11.1

74.8 ± 10.9

72.1 ± 9.4

 < 0.001

 Diabetes incidence (%)^a

8.0

9.4

6.9

1.8

 < 0.001

Body mass index (kg/m²)

29.3 ± 3.4

28.4 ± 4.2

26.5 ± 4.7

22.6 ± 1.9

 < 0.001

Smoking (%)

50.4

11.0

2.8

0.0

 < 0.001

Physical activity (MET/h/w)

17.8 (8.9 – 89.3)

66.9 (33.1 – 96.5)

71.8 (46.0 – 102.0)

75.8 (45.3 – 105.7)

 < 0.001

Diet quality score (based on AHEI-2010 score)

55.0 ± 5.7

56.8 ± 6.6

62.3 ± 7.8

67.0 ± 4.0

 < 0.001

AHEI-2010 components

 Fruit (serving/day)

2.36 (1.28 – 4.03)

2.47 (1.44 – 4.37)

3.30 (1.87 – 5.24)

3.90 (2.46 – 5.61)

 < 0.001

 Vegetables (serving/day)

2.37 (1.62 – 3.33)

2.76 (1.81 – 3.93)

3.28 (2.08 – 4.61)

3.51 (2.63 – 5.01)

 < 0.001

 Nut and legumes (serving/day)

0.46 (0.31 – 0.67)

0.51 (0.32 – 0.78)

0.70 (0.41 – 1.05)

0.90 (0.60 – 1.25)

 < 0.001

 Whole grain (serving/day)

3.31 (1.49 – 5.84)

3.31 (1.66 – 5.93)

3.71 (2.10 – 5.92)

4.05 (2.61 – 6.57)

 < 0.001

 Red and processed meat (serving/day)

0.73 (0.42 – 1.21)

0.71 (0.43 – 1.16)

0.56 (0.35 – 0.88)

0.51 (0.33 – 0.75)

 < 0.001

 Sweetened beverage (serving/day)

0.15 (0.05 – 0.39)

0.14 (0.05 – 0.36)

0.12 (0.04 – 0.26)

0.10 (0.03 – 0.21)

 < 0.001

 Trans fatty acid (g/day)

2.75 (1.21 – 5.31)

2.31 (1.25 – 4.57)

2.31 (1.19 – 4.60)

2.12 (1.07 – 4.58)

0.025

 Long chain n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acid (g/ week)

0.42 (0.21 – 0.91)

0.47 (0.22 – 1.19)

0.51 (0.25 – 1.22)

0.53 (0.27 – 1.42)

0.513

 Sodium (mg/day)

3555 (2845 – 4384)

3473 (2698 – 4379)

3290 (2616 – 4205)

3266 (2456 – 4162)

0.002