QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Online Supporting Material Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Drescher, L. S. Articles by Mensink, G. B. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Drescher, L. S. Articles by Mensink, G. B. M.

---

Nutrient Requirements and Optimal Nutrition

A New Index to Measure Healthy Food Diversity Better Reflects a Healthy Diet Than Traditional Measures^1,2

³ Department of Food Economics and Consumption Studies, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany and ⁴ Robert Koch-Institute, D-13353 Berlin, Germany

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: sthiele{at}food-econ.uni-kiel.de.

The recommendation to eat diverse types of foodstuffs is an internationally accepted recommendation for a healthy diet. The importance of dietary variety is based on several studies that have shown that diverse diets are accompanied by positive health outcomes. However, the definition and measurement of healthy food diversity are often criticized in the literature. Nutritional studies generally use count indices to quantify food diversity. As these measures have considerable disadvantages, several nutritionists have called for a precise definition and measurement of food diversity. This study aimed to develop a new healthy food diversity indicator. This index is based on a distribution measure mainly applied in economic and ecological studies. It considers 3 aspects important for healthy food diversity: number, distribution, and health value of consumed foods. We have validated the new index using energy-adjusted correlations with diet quality indicators. A comparison with selected traditional diversity indices revealed that the new indicator more appropriately reflected healthy food diversity.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. L Slattery Defining dietary consumption: is the sum greater than its parts? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2008; 88(1): 14 - 15. [Full Text] [PDF]