Table 3 General characteristics and HLS- mPNNS-GS components of participants according to quartiles of HLS- mPNNS-GS

Mean score

1.00 ± 0.00

2.00 ± 0.00

3.00 ± 0.00

4.00 ± 0.00

 Age (year)

44.2 ± 13.2

41.5 ± 12.5

41.3 ± 11.6

36.8 ± 12.3

 < 0.001

 Male, %

68.9

60.1

51.5

47.5

 < 0.001

 Academic education (graduated),%

23.1

27.5

29.3

37.8

 < 0.001

 Employed, %

76.2

82.4

87.9

86.2

 < 0.001

 Fasting plasma glucose (mg/dl)

93.8 ± 9.1

93.3 ± 8.9

93.2 ± 8.3

90.6 ± 7.1

 < 0.001

 Triglycerides (mg/dl)

130.0 (92.0 – 185.0)

121.0 (84.0 – 173.0)

120.0 (87.0 – 171.0)

90.0 (66.0 – 128.0)

 < 0.001

 Low density lipoprotein-Cholesterol (mg/dl)

115.8 ± 33.1

111.9 ± 33.4

113.4 ± 32.0

104.1 ± 30.4

 < 0.001

 High density lipoprotein-Cholesterol (mg/dl)

47.8 ± 12.4

47.5 ± 11.8

47.0 ± 11.0

49.9 ± 11.2

0.064

 Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

115.2 ± 17.2

112.7 ± 15.5

113.7 ± 15.3

107.2 ± 13.8

 < 0.001

 Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

76.4 ± 11.5

75.1 ± 11.0

76.2 ± 10.9

71.8 ± 9.4

 < 0.001

 Diabetes incidence (%)^a

9.5

9.2

7.9

2.2

 < 0.001

Current smoker (%)

19.0

22.2

5.1

0.0

 < 0.001

Physical activity (MET/h/w)

26.0 (12.9 – 37.6)

38.7 (19.9 – 71.4)

82.3 (61.5 – 112.6)

89.3 (67.0 – 128.0)

 < 0.001

Body mass index (kg/m²)

29.3 ± 4.5

27.5 ± 4.5

27.9 ± 4.4

22.7 ± 1.6

 < 0.001

Diet quality score (based on mPNNS-GS)

6.05 ± 0.69

7.01 ± 1.08

7.96 ± 0.88

8.08 ± 0.80

 < 0.001

mPNNS-GS components

 Fruit and vegetables (serving/day)

2.00 (2.00 – 3.99)

3.09 (2.00 – 5.31)

3.35 (2.00 – 5.41)

3.40 (2.00 – 5.44)

0.001

 Bread and legumes (serving/day)

9.75 (6.87 – 13.34)

9.75 (6.54 – 12.83)

9.93 (6.79 – 13.00)

10.23 (7.82 – 13.90)

0.011

 Whole grains (serving/day)

2.85 (1.23 – 5.30)

3.39 (1.77 – 5.81)

3.75 (2.06 – 6.09)

3.66 (2.08 – 6.50)

0.001

 Dairy products (serving/day)

1.54 (0.89 – 2.37)

1.66 (1.13 – 2.44)

1.68 (1.11 – 2.48)

1.70 (1.14 – 2.50)

0.884

 Red meat (serving/day)

0.64 (0.39 – 0.1.04)

0.63 (0.39 – 1.03)

0.63 (0.39 – 0.96)

0.58 (0.33 – 0.94)

0.003

 Sea foods (serving/day)

0.16 (0.09 – 0.25)

0.21 (0.11 – 0.47)

0.24 (0.13 – 0.49)

0.26 (0.14 – 0.52)

 < 0.001

 Fats (serving/day)

3.62 (1.72 – 5.88)

3.62 (1.91 – 6.29)

3.54 (1.88 – 6.20)

3.92 (2.04 – 6.38)

0.055

 Fats of vegetables origin (serving/day)

2.40 (1.24 – 4.58)

2.40 (1.30 – 4.88)

2.45 (1.37 – 5.05)

2.55 (1.30 – 5.42)

0.005

 Sweetened foods (serving/day)

1.28 (0.63 – 2.11)

1.40 (0.77 – 2.27)

1.46 (0.80 – 2.32)

1.57 (0.84 – 2.30)

0.098

 Sodium (mg/day)

3431 (2668 – 4312)

3431 (2657 – 4315)

3395 (2681 – 4281)

3394 (2732 – 4244)

0.385