Chocolate Intake and Prospective Change in Body Mass Index (BMI) During a Six-year Period Between Visits 1 & 3 in the ARIC^a Cohort.

a<p>ARIC, Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Cohort.</p>b<p>Frequency of chocolate intake was assessed by means of a semi-quantitative food frequency question.</p>c<p>N is the number of participants who provided data values in each of the categories of chocolate intake at visit 1 and 3. Missing values of outcome, exposure and confounder variables were replaced by multiple imputation.</p>d<p>BMI change is the change in BMI (kg/m²) during the three year period between sequential visits among participants in a particular chocolate intake category, compared to participants who ate chocolate monthly or less frequently (referent category). Data are presented as mean (95% confidence interval) estimated by means of a linear mixed effects model, in which the exposure variable and confounders were updated at visit 2, 3 & 4 using the value assessed at the visit or the latest available value. Food-frequency variables, including the exposure variable were corrected for intra-individual variation by using the mean of the two values assessed at visit 1 and 3.</p>e<p>Model A - adjusted for age, age squared, race (non-black, black), sex (male, female) & baseline covariates - body weight and waist-to-hip ratio;</p>f<p>Model B - adjusted for model A variables plus alcohol intake (0, 0–75, 75–150 & > = 150 g/week), smoking (never, former, current <20/day, current ≥20/day), education (grade school or less; some high school; high school graduate; vocational school; some college; graduate or professional school), prevalent illness (preexisting, physician diagnosed heart attack, stroke, diabetes, or cancer), and dietary caloric intake.</p>g<p>Model C - adjusted for model B variables plus energy-adjusted dietary vegetable, fruit and fat levels.</p>h<p>Tests for linear and quadratic trend were performed by putting the linear and quadratic versions, respectively, of chocolate intake in the model.