Exposure measurements
Dietary data from the CALERIE study were captured by detailed 6‐day food records obtained prior to the intervention and at 12‐ and 24‐month follow‐up. Both weekdays and weekend days were included in the 6‐day food record. Nutrient information was analyzed using 2010 Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) software, developed by the University of Minnesota. Dietary data quality was tested using the available doubly labeled water measurements. The mean and median difference between measured and reported energy intake was within ±20% for all time points, indicating the high quality of the CALERIE dietary data and all participants were included in this analysis. Self‐reported macronutrient consumption (i.e., carbohydrate, fat, and protein) were defined as the percentage of total energy intake at each study visit. The alternate Mediterranean diet score (aMED), Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) were calculated using standard methods as described below.The aMED score is a nine‐component, validated score that is used to estimate adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the US population (Fung et al., For the DII, scores were calculated at each study visit using methods previously described (Shivappa et al., The Healthy Eating Index evaluates how well dietary patterns align with the recommendations proposed in Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the HEI‐2015 was applied to quantify adherence to the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines (Krebs‐Smith et al., 