Baseline characteristics of study participants.

ITT population.
Results are expressed as means ± SD or frequencies (%).
Abbreviations: Product A: cocoa cream; Product B: cocoa+hazelnut cream; Product C: cocoa+hazelnut+phytosterols cream; Product D (for the purpose of the present study termed LMN): cocoa+hazelnut+phytosterols+soluble fiber cream; BMI: body mass index calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared; CVD: cardiovascular disease; HDL-c: high density lipoprotein cholesterol, * <1.0 mmol/L (40 mg/dL) and <1.18 mmol/L (46 mg/dL) for men and women, respectively; F-HD: family history of premature heart disease, +in male <55 years, in female <65 years in first-degree relative.