McCullough et al reported the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) for evaluating a person's diet. The authors are from the American Cancer Society, Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Parameters:
(1) servings of vegetables
(2) servings of fruits
(3) servings of nuts and soy protein
(4) ratio of white to red meat
(5) cereal fiber in grams per day
(6) trans fats as percent of energy
(7) polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio
(8) duration of multivitamin use in years
(9) alcohol use by gender in drinks per day
points for vegetables =
= MIN(10,2*(servings))
points for fruits =
= MIN(10, 2.5 * (servings))
points for nuts and soy protein =
= MIN(10,10*(servings))
points for meat ratio =
= MIN(10,2.5*(ratio))
points for cereal fiber =
= MIN(10,0.667*(grams fiber))
|
Parameter
|
Finding
|
Points
|
|
multivitamin use
|
< 5 years
|
0
|
|
|
>= 5 years
|
10
|
|
polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio
|
< 0.1
|
0
|
|
|
0.1 to 1
|
(11.111 * (ratio)) - 1.111
|
|
|
> 1
|
10
|
|
trans fata
|
< 0.5%
|
10
|
|
|
0.5 to 4.0
|
(-2.857 * (percent)) + 11.429
|
|
|
> 4%
|
0
|
|
Gender
|
Drinks per Day
|
Points
|
|
male
|
< 1.5
|
(6.667*(drinks))
|
|
|
1.5 to 2.5
|
10
|
|
|
> 2.5
|
MAX(0,(-10*(drinks))+35)
|
|
female
|
< 0.5
|
(20*(drinks))
|
|
|
0.5 to 1.5
|
10
|
|
|
> 1.5
|
MAX(0,(-10*(drinks))+25
|
total score =
= SUM(points for all 9 parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 90
• The higher the score the better the diet.
Limitations:
• The score would need to be adjusted for a vegetarian.
