Healthy Eating Index

NUTRITION

Definition A measure of diet quality that assesses conformance to federal dietary guidance.

Comment The USDA* uses the Index is to:

• Monitor the quality of American diets

• Examine relationships between diet and

   – Health-related outcomes and

   – Diet cost

• Determine the effectiveness of nutrition intervention programs

• Assess the quality of food assistance, menus, and the US food supply

*United States Department of Agriculture

Reference http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/HEI/HEI-2010/CNPPFactSheetNo2.pdf