Cross-sectional Association between Chocolate Intakea and Body Mass Index (BMI)b in the ARICc Cohort.

aFrequency of chocolate intake was assessed by means of a semi-quantitative food frequency question.bBMI, Body Mass Index - weight in Kg divided by height in m squared.cARIC, Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Cohort.dN is the number of participants who provided data values at visit 1 and 3. Missing values of the outcome, exposure and confounder variables were replaced by multiple imputation.eModel A - adjusted for age, age squared, race (non-black, black), sex (male, female);fModel B - adjusted for model A variables plus alcohol intake (g/week), smoking status (never, former, current gModel C - adjusted for model B variables plus energy-adjusted dietary vegetable, fruit and fat levels.hPrevalent obesity-related illness was based on yes/no responses to questions about the existence of physician diagnosed heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.jthe smoking confounder was a continuous variable in these two models.kData are presented as mean and 95% confidence interval, based on a random intercept model using combined data from ARIC visit 1 and 3 (see Statistical Methods).lP for linear trend was assessed with the linear version of the exposure variable in the model. P for quadratic trend was assessed with both linear and quadratic versions of the exposure variable in the model.