Conducted at the Loma Linda Medical Center, the research involved 340 women averaging 50 years old, of whom 172 were recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Three-day dietary records that included one weekend day and plasma samples were collected from all the women. The HEI score is comprised of 10 points possible for the recommended servings of grains, vegetables, fruit, milk and meat, as well as 10 points possible for dietary limitations of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and a possible 10 points for dietary variety. The dietary intakes reported by the breast cancer patients did not differ significantly from that of the control goup. The mean HEI score for the entire group was 77.3 points out of a possible 100, though the mean score was much lower in some areas such as dairy (24). The consumption of higher scoring diets, as opposed to poor diets, was associated with an increase in the variety of foods eaten over the 3-day recording period; in addition, women with good diets ate 6 times the amount of fruit as women with poor diets. The women's plasma concentrations of the carotenoid vitamins, folate, and Vitamin C—all of which are found mostly in fruits and vegetables—were correlated with higher HEI scores; whereas, there was no correlation with plasma cholesterol concentrations. A strong association between higher HEI scores and socioeconomic status was also apparent. Women with the highest HEI scores tended to be older, better educated, more affluent, and married. The authors suggest that participants with highly divergent HEI scores may not have had equivalent resources to spend on diet and health, and that socioeconomic factors may ultimately influence the development of chronic disease.
According to an accompanying editorial by Coulston, Hann et al.'s comparison of HEI scores and plasma biomarkers supports the concept that food choices based on the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid lead to a healthier diet.
Hann, Clayton S. et al. Validation of the Healthy Eating Index with use of plasma biomarkers in a clinical sample of women. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:479-86.
Coulston, Ann M. The search continues for a tool to evaluate dietary quality. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:417.
This media release is provided by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition to provide current information on nutrition-related research. This information should not be construed as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, consult your doctor. To see the complete text of this article, please go to:
http://faseb.org/ajcn/October/12628-Drewnowski.pdf
http://faseb.org/ajcn/October/13036-Coulston1.pdf
For more information, please contact: adamdrew@u.washington.edu or acoulst@attglobal.net
Journal
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition