Diet quality in a nationally representative sample of American children by sociodemographic characteristics

ABSTRACT Background To date, Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015) scores have not been published in the peer-reviewed literature for nationally representative samples of American children. Objective The aim of this study was to use the HEI-2015 to describe the diet quality of American children overall and within various sociodemographic populations. Design We used 3 cycles of NHANES dietary data sets (2009–2010, 2011–2012, and 2013–2014) to calculate HEI-2015 total and component scores by use of the population ratio method for children aged 2–18 y (n = 9000). Diet-quality scores were computed overall and by age (2–5, 6–11, and 12–18 y), gender, race or ethnicity (non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, Mexican American, other Hispanic, and other race), and family poverty-to-income ratio (below or at or above the poverty threshold). HEI-2015 mean total and component scores were computed along with 95% CIs. Results The HEI-2015 total mean score for children overall was 54.9 (range: 0–100). As the age group increased, the total scores decreased; the total mean score was significantly higher for children in the youngest age group compared with the 2 older age groups (60.1 compared with 53.9 compared with 52.0, respectively). The total mean score was significantly lower for non-Hispanic black children compared with Mexican American children, other Hispanic children, and children of other races (52.6 compared with 57.0, 56.8, and 57.1, respectively). The total mean score was significantly lower for non-Hispanic white children compared with Mexican-American children (54.2 compared with 57.0). No differences in total mean scores were apparent between boys and girls or between poverty threshold classes. The total mean scores for cross-classified sociodemographic characteristics generally followed the same patterns observed for single characteristics, with notable differences occurring within age and race or ethnicity classes. Conclusions The diet quality of American children remains low overall, with continued disparities across some sociodemographic populations, notably age and race or ethnicity. The results of these analyses can help guide the efforts of child nutrition researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders.

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Comparison of the diet quality of young and older Mexican‐ American sedentary women enrolled in community‐based social support physical activity interventions

The FASEB Journal ◽

10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.841.8 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 (S1) ◽

Author(s):

Giselle Pereira Pignotti ◽

Colleen Keller ◽

Michael Belyea ◽

Allison Nagle Williams ◽

Crystal Ramos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Social Support ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Mexican American ◽

Community Based ◽

Physical Activity Interventions ◽

Sedentary Women

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No Spouse, No Son, No Daughter, No Kin in Contemporary China: Prevalence, Correlates, and Differences in Economic Support

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gby051 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 74 (8) ◽

pp. 1453-1462 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Zhangjun Zhou ◽

Ashton M Verdery ◽

Rachel Margolis

Keyword(s):

Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽

Age Group ◽

Social Changes ◽

Child Gender ◽

Contemporary China ◽

Older Adulthood ◽

Economic Support ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Child Age ◽

Oriented System

Abstract Objectives China’s recent demographic and social changes might undermine the sustainability of its family-oriented system for elder care. We investigate kin availability among adults aged 45+ in contemporary China, with an emphasis on child gender. Method Using nationally representative survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011), we examine the prevalence and correlates of lacking different kin types and combinations, and we test associations between kin availability and received economic support. Results Kinlessness is low in China (less than 2% lack a spouse/partner and children), but kin availability is patterned by gender, age group, and sociodemographic characteristics. More than twice as many older adults have no spouse/partner and no daughter (3.2%) as those who have no spouse/partner and no son (1.4%). Adults without close kin are disadvantaged across health, wealth, and economic support. In contrast to traditional expectations, we find that those with only daughters are more similar to those with mixed sex children, whereas those with only sons are more similar to those without children in receipt of economic support. Discussion Access to kin forms the basis of an emergent system of stratification in China, which will be amplified as cohorts with only one child age into older adulthood.

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Examination of the Five Comparable Component Scores of the Diet Quality Indexes HEI-2005 and RC-DQI Using a Nationally Representative Sample of 2–18 Year Old Children: NHANES 2003–2006

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2013/376314 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Sibylle Kranz ◽

George P. McCabe

Keyword(s):

Diet Quality ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Quality Indexes ◽

Component Scores

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Differences in Diet Quality between School Lunch Participants and Nonparticipants in the United States by Income and Race

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12123891 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 3891

Author(s):

Elizabeth C. Gearan ◽

Kelley Monzella ◽

Leah Jennings ◽

Mary Kay Fox

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Diet Quality ◽

School Lunch ◽

The United States ◽

School Nutrition ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Lower Income ◽

Cost Study ◽

Hispanic White

Prior research has shown that participation in the United States’ National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is associated with consuming higher-quality lunches and diets overall, but little is known about differences by income and race/ethnicity. This analysis used 24 h dietary recall data from the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study to examine how NSLP participation affects the diet quality of students in different income and racial/ethnic subgroups. Diet quality at lunch and over 24 h was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010, where higher scores indicate higher-quality intakes. HEI-2010 scores for NSLP participants and nonparticipants in each subgroup were estimated, and two-tailed t-tests were conducted to determine whether participant–nonparticipant differences in scores within each subgroup were statistically significant. NSLP participants’ lunches received significantly higher total HEI-2010 scores than those of nonparticipants for lower-income, higher-income, non-Hispanic White, and non-Hispanic Black students, suggesting that participating in the NSLP helps most students consume healthier lunches. These significantly higher total scores for participants’ lunch intakes persisted over 24 h for higher-income students and non-Hispanic White students but not for lower-income students or students of other races/ethnicities. For NSLP participants in all subgroups, the nutritional quality of their 24 h intakes was much lower than at lunch, suggesting that the positive influence of the NSLP on their overall diet quality was negatively influenced by foods consumed the rest of the day (outside of lunch).

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Diet quality of children in the United States by body mass index and sociodemographic characteristics

Obesity Science & Practice ◽

10.1002/osp4.388 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 84-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jessica L. Thomson ◽

Alicia S. Landry ◽

Lisa M. Tussing‐Humphreys ◽

Melissa H. Goodman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

Diet Quality ◽

The United States ◽

Sociodemographic Characteristics

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COVID- 19 and Americans' Perceptions of Change in Diet Quality

Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences ◽

10.14307/jfcs113.1.17 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 113 (1) ◽

pp. 17-24

Author(s):

Jay Kandiah ◽

Jagdish Khubchandani ◽

Diana Saiki

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Young Adults ◽

Random Sample ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

The United States ◽

Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽

Perceived Change

The objective of this research was to conduct an assessment of perceived diet quality from a national random sample of American adults and explore how the perceived change in diet quality varied by key sociodemographic characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 835 adults across the United States completed a multi-item online survey. Statistically significant differences were observed with diets worsening during the pandemic for females, young adults, racial minorities (except Asians), unemployed individuals, widowed/divorced or engaged/cohabitating individuals, those not working from home, non-healthcare professionals, and overweight and obese individuals; the pandemic had an impact on the diet quality of these groups.

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Geographic Differences in the Dietary Quality of Food Purchases among Participants in the Nationally Representative Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS)

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11061233 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1233 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maya Vadiveloo ◽

Elie Perraud ◽

Haley W. Parker ◽

Filippa Juul ◽

Niyati Parekh

Keyword(s):

Diet Quality ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

The South ◽

Food Acquisition ◽

The West ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Racial Ethnic

Objective grocery transactions may reflect diet, but it is unclear whether the diet quality of grocery purchases mirrors geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in diet-related diseases. This cross-sectional analysis of 3961 households in the nationally representative Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey evaluated geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in grocery purchase quality. Respondents self-reported demographics and recorded purchases over 7 days; the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015 assessed diet quality. Survey-weighted multivariable-adjusted regression determined whether there were geographic and racial/ethnic differences in HEI-15 scores. Respondents were, on average, 50.6 years, non-Hispanic white (NHW) (70.3%), female (70.2%), and had attended some college (57.8%). HEI-15 scores differed across geographic region (p < 0.05), with the highest scores in the West (57.0 ± 0.8) and lowest scores in the South (53.1 ± 0.8), and there was effect modification by race/ethnicity (p-interaction = 0.02). Regionally, there were diet disparities among NHW and non-Hispanic black (NHB) households; NHWs in the South had HEI-15 scores 3.2 points lower than NHWs in the West (p = 0.003). Southern NHB households had HEI-15 scores 8.1 points lower than Western NHB households (p = 0.013). Racial/ethnic disparities in total HEI-15 by region existed in the Midwest and South, where Hispanic households in the Midwest and South had significantly lower diet quality than NHW households. Heterogeneous disparities in the diet quality of grocery purchases by region and race/ethnicity necessitate tailored approaches to reduce diet-related disease.

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