Effect of the Mediterranean diet on blood pressure in the PREDIMED trial: results from a randomized controlled trial

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the PREDIMED trial participants according to intervention group

Characteristic	MD+EVOO, n = 2441	MD+nuts, n = 2367	Control diet, n = 2350
Female sex, n (%)	1424 (58.3)	1275 (53.9)	1402 (59.7)
Age, years	66.9 ± 6.2	66.6 ± 6.1	67.3 ± 6.3
Smoking habit, n (%)
Never-smoker	1505 (61.7)	1414 (59.7)	1462 (62.2)
Former smoker	599 (24.5)	613 (25.9)	561 (23.9)
Current smoker	337 (13.8)	340 (14.4)	327 (13.9)
Body mass index^a	29.9 ± 3.7	29.7 ± 3.8	30.2 ± 4.0
Waist circumference, cm	100 ± 10	100 ± 11	101 ± 11
Hypertension, n (%)^b	1999 (81.9)	1951 (82.4)	1972 (83.9)
Systolic BP, mmHg	148 ± 19	149 ± 18	149 ± 19
Diastolic BP, mmHg	83 ± 10	83 ± 10	82 ± 10
Anti-hypertensive therapy, n (%)	1660 (68.0)	1648 (68.4)	1666 (70.9)
Type 2 diabetes, n (%)^c	1224 (50.1)	1092 (46.1)	1127 (48.0)
Treatment for type 2 diabetes, n (%)	801 (32.8)	715 (30.2)	786 (33.5)
Dyslipidemia, n (%)^d	1755 (71.9)	1741 (73.6)	1697 (72.2)
Lipid-lowering therapy, n (%)	1095 (44.9)	1041 (44.0)	1032 (43.9)
Family history of premature CHD, n (%)^e	553 (22.7)	514 (21.7)	538 (22.9)
MD adherence score^f	8.7 ± 2.0	8.8 ± 2.0	8.4 ± 2.0
Dietary sodium intake, g/day	2.4 ± 0.9	2.4 ± 0.9	2.3 ± 0.9
Dietary potassium intake, g/day	4.4 ± 1.2	4.4 ± 1.1	4.2 ± 1.1
Dietary calcium intake, g/day	1.1 ± 0.4	1.1 ± 0.4	1.0 ± 0.4

CHD, coronary heart disease; MD+EVOO, Mediterranean diet plus extra virgin olive oil; MD+nuts, Mediterranean diet plus nuts.
Values are mean ± SD unless otherwise specified.
^aBody mass index is the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.
^bHypertension was defined as systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg, diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg, or use of anti-hypertensive therapy.
^cDiabetes was defined as fasting blood glucose ≥126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) on two occasions, or 2-hour plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) after a 75 g oral glucose load, or use of anti-diabetic medication.
^dDyslipidemia was defined as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol >160 mg/dl, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≤40 mg/dl in men or ≤50 mg/dl in women, or use of lipid-lowering therapy.
^eA family history of premature CHD was defined as diagnosis of the disease in a male first-degree relative before the age of 55 years or in a female first-degree relative before the age of 65 years.
^fMedDiet adherence score (minimum adherence = 0 points; maximum adherence = 14 points).

ISSN: 1741-7015