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The Healthy Eating Index: design and applications
E T Kennedy1, J Ohls, S Carlson
1Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20036, USA.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
|October 1, 1995
Summary
The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) provides a comprehensive measure of diet quality. This index, based on food groups and nutrients, is valuable for monitoring population dietary intake and guiding nutrition promotion efforts.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
- Dietary Assessment
Background:
- Assessing overall diet quality is crucial for public health.
- Existing methods may not capture the complexity of dietary patterns.
- A standardized index is needed for consistent evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a comprehensive index of overall diet quality.
- To create a tool for monitoring dietary intake in the US population.
- To establish a basis for nutrition promotion initiatives.
Main Methods:
- Developed the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) using a 10-component system.
- Included five food groups, four nutrients, and food intake variety.
- Scored each component from 0 to 10, with a total possible score of 100.
- Analyzed data from the 1989-1990 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals.
- Utilized frequencies, correlation coefficients, and means for analysis.
Main Results:
- The mean HEI score for the US population was 63.9.
- Dietary quality varied, with no single component dominating the overall score.
- Areas for improvement included fruit, saturated fat, grains, vegetables, and total fat intake.
- Higher HEI scores correlated positively with increased intake of essential nutrients.
Conclusions:
- The HEI is a valuable and effective index for assessing consumer diet quality.
- The US Department of Agriculture will adopt the HEI for dietary monitoring.
- The HEI will inform future nutrition promotion strategies and interventions.