OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the adaptation of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) to Brazilian dietary recommendations for children aged 3 to 4 years (n = 345) and 7 to 8 years (n = 307). METHODS: Dietary data were collected using two 24-hour recalls and diet quality was evaluated according to the adapted HEI. RESULTS: The mean HEI score was 65.7 ± 11.2 at 3 to 4 years and 65.0 ± 8.8 at 7 to 8 years. The HEI correlated positively with dietary variety and food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, and meat/beans), except for milk at 3 to 4 years, and negatively with sodium, total fat, and saturated fat intake. HEI score was moderately to strongly associated with dietary fiber and several micronutrients. CONCLUSIONS: The HEI as adapted to Brazilian dietary guidelines can be used to determine diet quality in preschool- and school-aged children in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the adaptation of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) to Brazilian dietary recommendations for children aged 3 to 4 years (n = 345) and 7 to 8 years (n = 307). METHODS: Dietary data were collected using two 24-hour recalls and diet quality was evaluated according to the adapted HEI. RESULTS: The mean HEI score was 65.7 ± 11.2 at 3 to 4 years and 65.0 ± 8.8 at 7 to 8 years. The HEI correlated positively with dietary variety and food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, and meat/beans), except for milk at 3 to 4 years, and negatively with sodium, total fat, and saturated fat intake. HEI score was moderately to strongly associated with dietary fiber and several micronutrients. CONCLUSIONS: The HEI as adapted to Brazilian dietary guidelines can be used to determine diet quality in preschool- and school-aged children in Brazil.
Authors: V Mikkilä; H Vepsäläinen; T Saloheimo; S A Gonzalez; J D Meisel; G Hu; C M Champagne; J-P Chaput; T S Church; P T Katzmarzyk; R Kuriyan; A Kurpad; E V Lambert; C Maher; J Maia; V Matsudo; T Olds; V Onywera; O L Sarmiento; M Standage; M S Tremblay; C Tudor-Locke; P Zhao; M Fogelholm Journal: Int J Obes Suppl Date: 2015-12-08