Halton et al developed several low carbohydrate diet scores to evaluate a person's diet for low carbohydrate intake. The authors are from Harvard University, University of California Los Angeles, and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Parameters:
(1) total carbohydrate intake as percent of daily energy
(2) total protein intake as percent of daily energy
(3) total fat intake as percent of daily energy
(4) protein of animal origin as percent of daily energy
(5) protein of vegetable origin as percent of daily energy
(6) fat of animal origin as percent of daily energy
(7) fat of vegetable origin as percent of daily energy
SUM((percent total carbohydrate), (percent total protein), (percent total fat)) =
= 100% daily energy
SUM((percent animal protein), (percent vegetable protein)) =
= 100% protein energy
SUM((percent animal fat), (percent vegetable fat)) =
= 100% fat energy
where:
• 1 gram carbohydrate has 4 kcal; 1 gram protein 4 kcal; 1 gram fat 9 kcal.
• Alcohol intake does not seem to be included in estimates.
• The authors used percentage rather than absolute calories to represent the dietary composition. One downside may be that a person with a 1200 kcal diet and a 3600 kcal diet could have the same score.
|
Carbohydrate Intake as Percent of Energy |
Points |
|
> 56 |
0 |
|
51.6 - 56% |
1 |
|
49.1 - 51.5% |
2 |
|
47.1 - 49% |
3 |
|
45.2 - 47% |
4 |
|
43.3 - 45.1% |
5 |
|
41.2 - 43.2% |
6 |
|
38.8 - 41.1% |
7 |
|
35.4 - 38.7% |
8 |
|
29.3 - 35.3% |
9 |
|
< 29.3% |
10 |
|
Total Protein |
Animal Protein |
Vegetable Protein |
Points |
|
< 14.1% |
< 9.6% |
< 2.6% |
0 |
|
14.1 - 15.6% |
9.6 - 11.1% |
2.6 - 3.2% |
1 |
|
15.7 - 16.6% |
11.2 - 12.1% |
3.3 - 3.6% |
2 |
|
16.7 - 17.3% |
12.2 - 12.9% |
3.7 - 3.8% |
3 |
|
17.4 - 18% |
13 - 13.6% |
3.9 - 4.1% |
4 |
|
18.1 - 18.7% |
13.7 - 14.3% |
4.2 - 4.3% |
5 |
|
18.8 - 19.4% |
14.4 - 15.1% |
4.4 - 4.6% |
6 |
|
19.5 - 20.3% |
15.2 - 16.1% |
4.7 - 4.8% |
7 |
|
20.4 - 21.5% |
16.2 - 17.4% |
4.9 - 5.2% |
8 |
|
21.6 - 24% |
17.5 - 20.2% |
5.3 - 5.9% |
9 |
|
> 24% |
> 20.2% |
> 5.9% |
10 |
|
Total Fat |
Animal Fat |
Vegetable Fat |
Points |
|
< 26% |
< 14.3% |
< 5.0% |
0 |
|
26 - 29.5% |
14.3 - 17.1% |
5.0 - 7.7% |
1 |
|
29.6 - 31.6% |
17.2 - 18.8% |
7.8 - 9.3% |
2 |
|
31.7 - 33.2% |
18.9 - 20.3% |
9.4 - 10.5% |
3 |
|
33.3 - 34.7% |
20.4 - 21.8% |
10.6 - 11.5% |
4 |
|
34.8 - 36.1% |
21.9 - 23.3% |
11.6 - 12.5% |
5 |
|
36.2 - 37.7% |
23.4 - 25% |
12.6 - 13.5% |
6 |
|
37.8 - 39.5% |
25.1 - 27.3% |
13.6 - 14.7% |
7 |
|
39.6 - 42% |
27.4 - 30.6% |
14.8 - 16.2% |
8 |
|
42.1 - 46.9% |
30.7 - 37.3% |
16.3 - 19.2% |
9 |
|
> 46.9% |
> 37.3% |
> 19.2% |
10 |
low carbohydrate diet score =
= (points for carbohydrate energy) + (points for protein energy) + (points for fat energy)
diet score involving intake of animal origin =
= (points for carbohydrate energy) + (points for animal protein energy) + (points for animal fat energy)
diet score involving intake of vegetable origin =
= (points for carbohydrate energy) + (points for vegetable protein energy) + (points for vegetable fat energy)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 30
• The higher the score the more likely a person is following a low carbohydrate diet.
Limitations:
• The differences in point assignment is particularly striking when comparing animal to vegetable sources. Since a high score means that
Specialty: Nutrition
ICD-10: ,
