Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the UK Biobank participants with two or more completed dietary assessments, according to quartiles of the MEDLIFE score (N = 112,493)

Quartile 1

0–7 p

Quartile 2

8–9 p

Quartile 3

10–11 p

Quartile 4

12–22 p

Total

n

24,297

32,226

30,713

25,257

112,493

Sex, female, n (%)

12,581 (51.78)

18,047 (56.00)

18,153 (59.11)

156,079 (63.66)

64,860 (57.66)

Age, years, mean (SD)

57.44 (7.99)

58.59 (7.88)

59.16 (7.75)

59.52 (7.64)

58.70 (7.85)

Ethnicity, n (%)

White

23,595 (97.11)

31,301 (97.13)

29,758 (96.89)

24,481 (96.93)

109,135 (97.01)

Non-white

702 (2.89)

925 (2.87)

955 (3.11)

776 (3.07)

3,358 (2.99)

Region of assessment

England

22,098 (90.95)

29,472 (91.45)

28,154 (91.67)

23,273 (92.14)

102,997 (91.56)

Wales

793 (3.26)

1,011 (3.14)

923 (3.01)

715 (2.83)

3,442 (3.06)

Scotland

1,406 (5.79)

1,743 (5.41)

1,636 (5.33)

1,269 (5.02)

6,054 (5.38)

Education

University education

9,590 (39.47)

14,656 (45.48)

15,508 (50.49)

14,385 (56.95)

54,139 (48.13)

Non-university education

14,707 (60.53)

17,570 (54.52)

15,205 (49.51)

10,872 (43.05)

58,354 (51.87)

Deprivation index, mean (SD)

-1.57 (2.83)

-1.72 (2.78)

-1.75 (2.80)

-1.64 (2.84)

-1.68 (2.81)

Smoking status, n (%)

Never

13,457 (55.39)

18,648 (57.87)

18,393 (59.89)

15,349 (60.77)

65, 847 (58.53)

Former

8,388 (34.52)

11,219 (34.81)

10,676 (34.76)

8,786 (34.79)

39,069 (34.73)

Current

2,452 (10.09)

2,359 (7.32)

1,644 (5.35)

1,122 (4.44)

7,577 (6.74)

Energy intake, kcal/day, mean (SD)

2163 (509)

2079 (495)

2026 (482)

1986 (475)

2062 (494)

Hypertension, n (%)

5,699 (23.46)

7,170 (22.25)

6,389 (20.80)

4,809 (19.04)

24,067 (21.39)

Cholesterol-lowering medication, n (%)

2,537 (10.44)

3,310 (10.27)

2,916 (9.49)

2,127 (8.42)

10,890 (9.68)

BMI, n (%)

< 25 kg/m²

7,705 (31.71)

12,268 (38.07)

13,384 (43.58)

13,343 (52.83)

46,700 (41.51)

25–29.9 kg/m²

10,408 (42.84)

13,647 (42.35)

12,657 (41.21)

9,199 (36.42)

45,911 (40.81)

≥ 30 kg/m²

6,184 (25.45)

6,311 (19.58)

4,672 (15.21)

2,715 (10.75)

19,882 (17.67)

Family history of diabetes, yes, n (%)

5,436 (22.37)

6,902 (21.42)

6,386 (20.79)

4,920 (19.48)

23,644 (21.02)

MEDLIFE index, 0–25 p, mean (SD)

6.11 (1.06)

8.53 (0.50)

10.46 (0.50)

13.14 (1.31)

9.57 (2.60)

Block 1: Mediterranean food consumption, 0–12 p, mean (SD)

2.12 (1.08)

3.13 (1.16)

4.05 (1.22)

5.49 (1.43)

3.69 (1.70)

Block 2: Mediterranean eating habits, 0–7 p, mean (SD)

2.26 (1.03)

3.05 (1.04)

3.59 (1.05)

4.21 (1.06)

3.29 (1.24)

Block 3: Physical activity, rest, social habits, and conviviality; 0–6 p, mean (SD)

1.73 (0.94)

2.34 (1.03)

2.82 (1.08)

3.45 (1.11)

2.59 (1.20)