Table 2 Food group intake and diet quality between the three study groups

Daily intake (g)

Beverages (low/free-caloric)

1950 (1463–3059)

2850 (1575–5110)

2391 (1639–3344)

0.136

Softdrinks (sugared)

7.00 (0.00–43.0)

18.0 (0.00–43.0)

43.0 (7.00-200)

0.091

Bread, Rice, Noodles, Potatoes

164 (93.8–275)

225 (176–317)

170 (137–267)

0.126

Vegetables

284 (142–396) *

375 (193–600)

107 (70.0-150) **

< 0.001

Fruit

254 (156–380)

308 (163–601)

141 (89.0-332) **

0.018

Milk

100 (21.4–200)

0.00 (0.00–0.00) ***

200 (42.8–200) **

< 0.001

Dairy

106 (42.2–199)

0.00 (0.00–0.00) ***

87.8 (52.6–204) **

< 0.001

Plant-based milk alternatives

17.9 (3.60–100) *

100 (21.4–400) ***

0.00 (0.00-3.60) **

< 0.001

Plant-based dairy alternatives

0.27 (0.00-14.2)

37.1 (21.8–50.8) ***

0.00 (0.00–0.00) **

< 0.001

Legumes

21.4 (6.70–34.8)

150 (75.0-150) ***

13.3 (5.36–32.1) **

< 0.001

Nuts and Seeds

12.0 (7.00-23.5) *

26.0 (14.0–52.0) ***

3.00 (2.00–13.0) **

< 0.001

Sweets

124 (76.5-188.5)

107 (75.0-142)

175 (87.0-234) **

0.033

Alcohol

3.50 (0.50–10.0)

1.00 (0.00–7.00)

8.00 (4.00–14.0) **

0.009

Weekly intake (g)

Meat

75.0 (33.7–198) *

0.00 (0.00–0.00) ***

513 (405–645) **

< 0.001

Processed meat products

77.5 (42.1–168) *

0.00 (0.00–0.00) ***

502 (290–825) **

< 0.001

Plant-based meat alternative products

30.0 (0.00-180)

420 (180–490) ***

0.00 (0.00–0.00) **

< 0.001

Fish and fish products

56.2 (22.5–112)

0.00 (0.00–0.00) ***

78.7 (28.1–157) **

< 0.001

Eggs

90.0 (37.5–195)

0.00 (0.00–0.00) ***

180 (75.0-210) **

< 0.001

Dietary quality (score points)

HEI-Flex score¹

54 (49–63) *

61 (54–70) ***

47 (43–55) **

< 0.001