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A healthy diet indicator: quantifying compliance with the dietary guidelines using the BRFSS
Ann P Rafferty1, Judith V Anderson, Harry B McGee
1Bureau of Epidemiology, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, Michigan 48909, USA. raffertya@state.mi.us
Preventive Medicine
|June 25, 2002
Summary
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) can feasibly estimate adult diet quality using a new indicator. This tool helps evaluate population eating habits within existing surveillance systems.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Health Surveillance
Background:
- The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a key tool for monitoring chronic disease risk factors via telephone surveys.
- Assessing population diet quality is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the feasibility of utilizing the BRFSS for estimating an adult diet quality indicator.
- To develop and validate a novel diet quality metric within a state-level surveillance program.
Main Methods:
- A specific set of dietary questions was integrated into the 1997 Michigan BRFSS.
- The Michigan Healthy Diet Indicator (MI-HDI), based on the USDA's Healthy Eating Index, was calculated from survey responses.
Main Results:
- The average MI-HDI score among 2,532 respondents was 55.7 (out of 100).
- Diet quality, measured by MI-HDI, showed a positive correlation with self-rated eating habits, gender (women higher), age, education, and interactions with health professionals.
Conclusions:
- A BRFSS-based diet quality indicator is a feasible and valuable method for adult assessment.
- This approach leverages established state-level surveillance systems for effective public health monitoring.