Table 2 Participants’ baseline characteristics

Age (years) ^d

36.50 (9.40)

37.70 (10.91)

34.60 (9.60)

0.35

Height (cm) ^d

158.74 (6.61)

156.50 (4.51)

159.60 (7.20)

0.08

Body Weight (kg) ^d

76.80 (13.90)

76.60 (13.90)

79.93 (14.8)

0.47

BMI (kg/m²) ^d

31.26 (4.80)

31.15 (4.13)

31.40 (5.50)

0.91

Physical activity (MET- h/day) ^d

25.72 (3.25)

25.91 (3.10)

25.54 (3.90)

0.67

Menopause status, (perimenopause) n (%)

8 (17.17)

3 (13.10)

5 (20.90)

0.48

Mild fatty liver, n (%)

17 (36.17)

8 (34.78)

9 (37.50)

0.51

High normal blood pressure, n (%)

7 (14.90)

2 (8.70)

5 (20.85)

0.25

Family history of obesity, n (%)

10 (25.64)

5 (26.31)

5 (25.10)

0.31

Dietary intakes^d

Energy intake (kcal)

1780.34 (190.54)

1765.86 (212.82)

1794.25 (169.56)

0.61

Carbohydrate (gr)

222.14 (34.153)

217.25 (31.89)

226.82 (37.10)

0.35

Protein (gr)

50.90 (7.80)

52.68 (8.21)

49.21 (7.30)

0.13

Fat (gr)

79.30 (12.57)

79.70 (12.30)

78.9 (13.10)

0.84

Fiber (gr)

13.11 (2.80)

12.50 (2.95)

13.85 (2.51)

0.11

Cholesterol (mg)

144.98 (862.70)

162.43 (93.54)

128.26 (78.80)

0.18

PUFA (gr)

25.43 (5.10)

25.76 (4.74)

25.11 (5.40)

0.67

MUFA (gr)

32.20 (6.50)

31.33 (6.21)

33.10 (6.75)

0.37

SFA (gr)

14.90 (2.80)

15.26 (2.25)

14.64 (3.31)

0.51

Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) (IU)

26.01 (5.60)

25.93 (5.30)

26.11 (5.96)

0.91

Vitamin C (mg)

59.95 (24.38)

56.71 (20.61)

63.14 (27.59)

0.38

Vitamin D (μg)

3.80 (2.70)

4.10 (2.80)

3.50 (2.50)

0.48

Medication use

Statins, n (%)

10 (21.27)

5 (21.73)

5 (20.84)

0.31

Blood pressure lowering drugs, n (%)

3 (6.38)

0 (0.0)

3 (12.50)

Both drugs, n (%)

6 (12.78)

3 (13.10)

3 (15.50)

No drugs, n (%)

20 (421.55)

11 (47.82)

9 (37.50)

Serum Biomarkers^d

IL-1β (pg/ml)

2.95 (1.42)

2.75 (1.45)

3.00 (1.40)

0.42

IL-6 (pg/ml)

2.85 (1.52)

2.70 (1.50)

1.85 (0.50)

0.76

Leptin (ng/ml)

41.30 (6.80)

41.90 (6.22)

40.80 (7.31)

0.63

Insulin (μU/m)

6.42 (0.79)

6.18 (0.93)

6.29 (0.87)

0.56