Table 1 Baseline characteristics according to triglyceride-glucose (TyG) quartiles: NHANES, 2003–2018^a

Age, years

42.33 (41.36, 43.29)

47.00 (46.13, 47.86)

50.08 (49.32, 50.85)

51.91 (51.15, 52.66)

Male, %

37.60 (35.70, 39.60)

47.40 (45.20, 49.70)

51.20 (49.20, 53.20)

58.50 (56.30, 60.70)

Non-Hispanic white, %

68.00 (64.80, 71.10)

71.00 (67.80, 73.90)

72.80 (69.70, 75.70)

73.10 (69.60, 76.30)

BMI, kg/m²

25.95 (25.71, 26.20)

27.95 (27.68, 28.22)

29.54 (29.23, 29.86)

31.46 (31.10, 31.81)

Smoke, %

19.80 (17.80, 22.00)

24.20 (21.80, 26.70)

25.90 (23.80, 28.20)

27.20 (25.30, 29.30)

Drink, %

74.00 (71.30, 76.50)

73.90 (71.60, 76.10)

74.60 (72.10, 76.90)

73.20 (70.90, 75.40)

Regular exercise, %

32.90 (30.30, 35.70)

42.20 (39.90, 44.60)

43.60 (41.20, 46.00)

50.90 (48.10, 53.70)

College graduate or above, %

36.90 (34.10, 39.80)

30.80 (27.60, 34.10)

27.10 (24.30, 30.10)

21.20 (18.80, 23.80)

 > 100,000 annual household income, %

19.60 (16.80, 22.60)

16.50 (13.80, 19.60)

13.80 (11.90, 15.90)

10.40 (8.10, 13.30)

Dietary supplements use, %

51.00 (48.90, 53.10)

51.30 (48.90, 53.60)

50.20 (48.00, 52.50)

52.70 (50.10, 55.20)

Total energy, kcal/day

2045 (2015, 2027)

2090 (2057, 2124)

2060 (2018, 2102)

2111 (2075, 2148)

AHEI sore

50.86 (50.31, 51.41)

50.03 (49.47, 50.59)

50.21 (49.72, 50.71)

49.58 (49.06, 50.09)

Family history of heart disease, %

13.00 (11.60, 14.70)

16.70 (14.70, 18.90)

17.70 (15.90, 19.60)

18.80 (16.70, 21.10)

Triglyceride, mmol/L

0.68 (0.67, 0.69)

1.07 (1.06, 1.07)

1.53 (1.52, 1.54)

2.91 (2.82, 3.00)

Fasting glucose, mmol/L

5.15 (5.12, 5.18)

5.46 (5.43, 5.49)

5.76 (5.71, 5.80)

6.93 (6.80, 7.05)

Waist circumference, cm

89.93 (89.33, 90.52)

96.67 (95.87, 97.47)

101.12 (100.46, 101.78)

107.34 (106.49, 108.19)

Glycohemoglobin, %

5.35 (5.34, 5.37)

5.52 (5.50, 5.54)

5.65 (5.63, 5.68)

6.34 (6.28, 6.40)

Standing height, cm

167.49 (167.14, 167.83)

167.86 (167.50, 168.22)

167.41 (167.04, 167.79)

168.01 (167.64, 168.38)

Insulin, pmol/L

49.54 (48.07, 51.01)

65.07 (63.15, 67.00)

81.76 (79.41, 84.11)

118.02 (112.65, 123.39)

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

115.63 (114.88, 116.38)

120.18 (119.44, 120.91)

122.24 (121.52, 122.96)

127.11 (126.20, 128.02)

Cholesterol, mmol/L

4.67 (4.63, 4.72)

5.00 (4.95, 5.05)

5.21 (5.17, 5.26)

5.50 (5.44, 5.55)

Self-reported cancer, %

7.10 (5.90, 8.60)

9.50 (8.00, 11.20)

10.70 (9.40, 12.30)

11.20 (10.00, 12.60)

Self-reported diabetes, %

2.20 (1.60, 2.80)

4.20 (3.50, 5.10)

7.70 (6.70, 8.90)

21.40 (19.10, 23.80)

Death of cardiovascular diseases, %

2.00 (1.50, 2.60)

3.40 (2.90, 4.10)

4.20 (3.50, 4.90)

6.60 (5.70, 7.80)

Cardiovascular diseases, %

4.80 (4.10, 5.60)

7.30 (6.20, 8.60)

10.00 (8.70, 11.50)

13.70 (12.10, 15.50)

Congestive heart failure, %

1.20 (0.90, 1.70)

1.80 (1.30, 2.40)

2.60 (2.00, 3.40)

4.40 (3.60, 5.30)

Myocardial infarction, %

1.70 (1.30, 2.40)

3.20 (2.40, 4.20)

4.00 (3.40, 4.80)

5.50 (4.50, 6.60)

Angina pectoris, %

1.10 (0.80, 1.60)

1.60 (1.10, 2.20)

3.10 (2.40, 0.40)

3.80 (0.30, 4.80)

Coronary heart disease, %

1.70 (1.30, 2.40)

2.80 (2.10, 3.60)

4.40 (3.50, 5.50)

6.30 (5.30, 7.50)