Table 2 Intakes of the food groups, subgroups and items reported to be consumed by the subjects that were divided according to median DII. The table lists the amounts of the foods groups (in bold), of the food subgroups and of the food items (in italic) consumed by the subjects with DII below the median (DII < median, N = 331) versus the subjects with DII over median (DII > median, N = 332)

Tubers, potatoes, starch (g/day)

21.43 (6.89-40)

24.07 (7.14–44.84)

19.01 (5.63–35.35)

0.019

Vegetables, mushrooms (g/day)

200.21 (147.14-254.69)

234.57 (191.04-295.65)

164.14 (117.87-209.18)

< 0.001

Tomatoes (g/day)

14.29 (0-38.58)

14.29 (0-42.86)

14.29 (0-35.36)

0.039

Dark-yellow vegetables (g/day)

7.41 (2.12-20)

13.57 (4.17–28.57)

4.29 (0.82–11.43)

< 0.001

Leafy vegetables (including salads)

(g/day)

46.16 (25.69–71.43)

57.14 (34.29–82.44)

37.14 (19.47–57.14)

< 0.001

Cruciferous vegetables (g/day)

0 (0-14.29)

4.29 (0-22.5)

0 (0-8.68)

< 0.001

Other vegetables (g/day)

109.87 (71.71-148.57)

128.06 (91.43-171.72)

85.71 (58.03-125.78)

< 0.001

Legumes and soy products (g/day)

12.86 (0-28.57)

14.29 (3.17–33.33)

5.7 (0-21.43)

< 0.001

Fresh fruits, dried fruits, flours, juices (g/day)

261.07 (168.78-350.07)

307.14 (238.57-411.43)

214.29 (119.86-301.35)

< 0.001

Fresh fruit and berries (g/day)

238.21 (142.14-323.06)

285.71 (207.14–370)

190.99 (89.29-278.57)

< 0.001

Dried fruit and seeds (g/day)

0 (0-2.86)

0.71 (0-4.29)

0 (0-1.79)

< 0.001

Fruit juices and drinks (g/day)

0 (0-28.57)

0.71 (0-31.25)

0 (0-4.23)

< 0.001

Milk and yogurt (g/day)

122.85 (28.12–170)

125 (27.86-187.86)

110.41 (27.61-162.41)

0.061

Cheeses (g/day)

34.15 (21.43–47.47)

33.85 (20.71–47.81)

34.27 (23.03–47.5)

0.348

Low-fat cheeses (< 25% fat content)

(g/day)

12.86 (0-22.86)

10 (0-21.43)

14.29 (0-23.42)

0.083

Other cheeses (g/day)

18.57 (9.92-30)

18.57 (9.38–30.9)

18.57 (10–30)

0.966

Cereals, flour, pasta, bread, crackers, rusks (g/day)

162.33 (122-207.5)

174.8 (131.67-218.57)

154.29 (113.1-197.57)

< 0.001

Refined cereals, flour, pasta, bread,

crackers, rusks (g/day)

157.86 (115.71-202.68)

164.29 (126.31-208.63)

147.67 (106.07-194.67)

0.001

Whole cereals, flour, pasta, bread,

crackers, rusks (g/day)

0 (0–0)

0 (0-4.29)

0 (0–0)

< 0.001

Eggs (g/day)

8.33 (1.75–14.37)

8.57 (2.14–16.43)

7.41 (1.53–14.29)

0.240

Meat and meat products (g/day)

93.57 (67.48-123.96)

96 (69.71-125.64)

88.93 (65.46-121.18)

0.142

Processed meat (g/day)

24.43 (13.53–37.4)

25.71 (13.57–37.23)

23.09 (13.42–37.71)

0.460

Meat and offal (g/day)

67.78 (44.29–91.34)

68.57 (48.95–93.01)

64.29 (42.86–89.29)

0.112

Offal (g/day)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0.307

Red meat (g/day)

35.71 (17.14–57.14)

36.54 (17.14-60)

34.01 (17.32–55.98)

0.287

Other meat (g/day)

22.5 (14.29–42.86)

24.29 (14.29–42.86)

21.43 (8.7-42.86)

0.339

Fish, shellfish, mollusks (g/day)

28.57 (14.29-50)

35.71 (20.71-60)

25.36 (7.14–41.79)

< 0.001

Oily fish (g/day)

0 (0-14.29)

0 (0–15)

0 (0-7.5)

0.002

Other fishes (g/day)

21 (7.14–36.43)

25 (10-45.61)

14.52 (0-31.27)

< 0.001

Shellfish and mollusks (g/day)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0.137

Oils, margarins, butter, cream (g/day)

27.86 (20.69–35.71)

30 (23.04–38.35)

26.24 (18.81–32.63)

< 0.001

Margarine (g/day)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0.771

Oils and vegetable fats (g/day)

22.86 (17.14–29.14)

25.17 (19.06–32.33)

20.71 (14.58–25.96)

< 0.001

Olive oil (g/day)

21.43 (15.71–27.62)

24.03 (17.86–31.43)

19.24 (14.18–24.62)

< 0.001

Other vegetables oils (g/day)

0 (0-1.43)

0 (0-1.74)

0 (0-0.82)

0.120

Butter and animal fats (excluding

cream) (g/day)

2.86 (0-6.43)

2.86 (0-6.43)

2.85 (0-6.31)

0.888

Cream (g/day)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0.950

Sweets, sugar, jams, ice-creams (g/day)

20.32 (9.66–37.39)

21.43 (10.31–41.43)

19.29 (9.29–34.86)

0.186

Chocolate and cocoa (g/day)

0 (0–3)

0 (0-3.69)

0 (0-2.93)

0.938

Croissants, cookies, puddings, cakes

(g/day)

35.71 (20-59.55)

39.29 (20.29–61.43)

33.47 (19.88–55.71)

0.088

Beverages (mL/day)

247.94 (131.67–376.8)

274.61 (149.29-388.57)

211.92 (117.66-356.71)

0.002

Non-alcoholic beverages

(mL/day)

114.29 (67.32-198.12)

115 (68.57-192.86)

107.86 (64.29–200)

0.507

Sugar-sweetened beverages

(mL/day)

0 (0-17.86)

0 (0-10.5)

0 (0-25.54)

0.492

Tea (mL/day)

0 (0-64.29)

0 (0-64.29)

0 (0-64.29)

0.503

Coffee (mL/day)

63.5 (38.57-90)

64.29 (38.57-90)

61.9 (38.57–85.71)

0.375

Herbal teas, infusions (g/day)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0.396

Alcoholic beverages (mL/day)

71.43 (10.01-202.27)

105.98 (20.47-226.21)

50 (3.39-175.28)

< 0.001

Wine and sparkling wines

(mL/day)

47.2 (4.29-160.71)

85.71 (8.57-196.43)

32.73 (2.06-113.39)

< 0.001

Beer (mL/day)

0 (0-24.29)

0 (0-21.43)

0 (0-28.57)

0.953

Distillates, sweets liquors, high

alcohol beverages and high

alcohol bitter liqueur (mL/day)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0)

0.744

Aromatic herbs and spices (g/day)

15.2 (4.05–36.53)

15.29 (4.64–35.71)

15.09 (3.01–37.14)

0.410