title: Healthy Eating Index--2005 total and component scores for adults aged 20 and over: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2004.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This report provides Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) scores for adults aged 20 and over, by sex, age groups, race and ethnicity, and level of education in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2004).
  
  
  METHODS
  The analytic sample consisted of 4,448 adults aged 20 and over from NHANES 2003-2004. The Day 1 dietary recall was used to estimate the HEI-2005 scores. Food and nutrient intakes were assessed on a density basis. The population's mean usual HEI-2005 component and total scores were calculated using a population ratio method based on programs written by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. A two-tailed t-test was used to test significant differences between sexes, age and race, and ethnic groups and levels of education. Statistical hypotheses were tested at the p < 0.05 level of significance using a t statistic. The t-value at 0.975 with 15 degrees of freedom was 2.131. The Bonferroni method of adjustment was used to adjust the critical value for the family of pairwise comparisons for age, race and ethnicity, and education.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adults were below the maximum standard for all the HEI-2005 component scores except for total grains and meat and beans. Females and the oldest age group were more successful in meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommendations for the fruit and vegetable components and discretionary calories, and had a slightly higher overall diet quality score than their counterparts. Adults with more than a high school education more closely complied with the recommendations for many of the components compared with those with less education. No one racial and ethnic group stood out as having the highest HEI-2005 scores across most of the components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that adults continue to fall short in meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommendations, and that sociodemographic characteristics influence their food choices and overall diet quality.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA.
authors.forename: R Bethene
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Ervin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009751:Nutritional Requirements / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult