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Table 6 Summary of dietary quality indices

From: Dietary quality in a sample of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Ireland; a cross-sectional case control study

Dietary quality index

Author(s)

Score

Measure

Associations

Mediterranean diet score

Trichopoulou et al., 1995

Range: 0–9

Adherence to a traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern

Inversely associated with overall mortality [9]

Significant reduction in total mortality [11]

Inversely associated with cancer disease risk [2224]

Alternate mediterraneandiet score

Fung et al., 2005

Range: 0–9

Adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern. Adapted score to give greater focus on within food group quality

Inverse association with inflammatory biomarkers [12]

Lower incident of mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke [25]

Significant inverse association with BMI and obesity [26]

Alternate healthy eating index

McCullough et al., 2002

Range: 2.5–87.5

Adherence to USA dietary guidelines and the USA My Food Pyramid. Adapted score to give greater focus on within food group quality

Significant reduction in overall chronic disease risk, with greater strength in prediction of chronic disease risk when compared to the original Healthy Eating Index [27]

Inverse association with inflammatory biomarkers [12]

Reduction in overall disease risk and risk of premature mortality from coronary vascular disease [28]

Healthy diet indicator

Huijbregts et al., 1997

Range: 0–9

Adherence to WHO 1990 dietary recommendations for the prevention of chronic disease

Significantly inverse association with 20 year all-cause mortality in a multi-cultural population [13]

    

Significantly correlated with nutritional adequacy (MAR) [29]

  1. BMI Body mass index, USA United States of America, MAR mean adequacy ratio.