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Objective:To develop and assess the validity of the Dietary Quality Score (DQS) and investigate the association with cardiovascular risk factors.Design:Cross-sectional population-based study.Setting:Copenhagen County, Glostrup, Denmark.Subjects:A random sample of 12 934 men and women aged 30–60 years were invited to a health examination. A total of 6542 participants were included in the statistical analysis.Methods:The DQS was developed using eight questions from a 48-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and validated using a 198-item FFQ. Associations between the DQS and fasting serum lipids, homocysteine, blood pressure and the absolute risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) were explored.Results:A higher DQS was shown to be associated with higher dietary quality in general, including a low intake of fat, especially saturated fat; a high intake of fibre; various vitamins and minerals; and fruit, fish, vegetables and whole–grain products. A higher score according to the DQS was significantly negatively associated with total cholesterol (P=0.0031), triglyceride (P=0.0406), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P=0.0071), homocysteine (P<0.0001) and the absolute risk of IHD (P<0.0001), adjusted for sex, age, smoking habits and physical activity level.Conclusions:The DQS is a simple, valid and quick tool to make a rough classification of individuals into groups with high, average and low dietary quality. The DQS is negatively associated with serum lipids, homocysteine and the absolute risk of IHD.Sponsorship:The Inter99 study is supported economically by The Danish Medical Research Council, The Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment, Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen County, The Danish Heart Foundation, The Danish Pharmaceutical Association, Augustinus Foundation, Ib Henriksen Foundation and Becket Foundation, Copenhagen County.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61, 270–278. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602503; published online 23 August 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate whether five-year changes in self-reported physical activity level were associated with changes in waist circumference, weight, serum lipids and blood pressure. Methods: In the Inter99 study (1999–2006) in Copenhagen, Denmark, 4039 men and women (30–60 years) answered questions on lifestyle and provided blood samples and anthropometric measures at baseline and after five years. Multiple regression analyses were performed with five-year value of each cardiovascular biomarker as outcome and change in physical activity level as explanatory variable. Results: Approximately 50% of the study population were men (n =2023). Change in physical activity level was inversely associated with change in weight (p <0.0001), waist (p <0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p =0.04), total cholesterol (p =0.006), LDL (p =0.007), triglycerides (p =0.02) and with a composite risk score “the Copenhagen risk score” (p <0.0001), and positively associated with HDL in men (p =0.01). Conclusion: Five-year changes in physical activity level were significantly associated with relevant changes in weight, waist circumference, diastolic BP and serum lipids in a population-based cohort of adult men and women. Change in physical activity level induced a significant change in HDL concentration in men only. Women''s use of hormone replacement therapy may partly explain this gender difference. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]