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. 2019 May 30;11(6):1233. doi: 10.3390/nu11061233

Table 2.

Multivariable-adjusted mean (SE) Healthy Eating Index-2015 overall and component scores by census region and race/ethnicity of households participating in the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey 2012–2013 (N = 3654).

Region South (reference) Northeast Midwest West
Total (100)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 50.4 ± 0.7 51.3 ± 0.8 52.2 ± 0.6 53.6 ± 0.8 *
Non-Hispanic black 48.6 ± 1.5 52.0 ± 2.3 51.0 ± 2.3 56.7 ± 2.7 *
Hispanic 54.1 ± 0.9 δ 53.4 ± 2.0 47.5 ± 2.0 *δ 53.9 ± 1.1
Adequacy components
Total Fruit (5)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 1.8 ± 0.1 2.2 ± 0.2* 2.2 ± 0.1 * 2.3 ± 0.2 *
Non-Hispanic black 1.8 ± 0.2 2.4 ± 0.2 1.7 ± 0.3 3.5 ± 0.3 *δ
Hispanic 2.4 ± 0.1 δ 2.5 ± 0.1 2.0 ± 0.3 2.8 ± 0.2
Whole fruit (5)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 2.0 ± 0.1 2.6 ± 0.2 * 2.5 ± 0.1 * 2.5 ± 0.2 *
Non-Hispanic black 1.6 ± 0.2 2.2 ± 0.2 2.0 ± 0.4 3.5 ± 0.3 *δ
Hispanic 2.8 ± 0.2 δ 2.7 ± 0.1 2.5 ± 0.5 3.1 ± 0.2
Total vegetables (5)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 2.6 ± 0.1 2.9 ± 0.1 * 2.9 ± 0.1 * 2.9 ± 0.1 *
Non-Hispanic black 2.7 ± 0.2 2.7 ± 0.2 2.7 ± 0.3 2.4 ± 0.3
Hispanic 2.9 ± 0.2 2.6 ± 0.3 2.2 ± 0.3 δ 3.0 ± 0.1
Greens and beans (5)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 1.4 ± 0.1 1.7 ± 0.2 1.4 ± 0.1 1.7 ± 0.1
Non-Hispanic black 1.4 ± 0.2 1.6 ± 0.3 1.3 ± 0.5 1.8 ± 0.5
Hispanic 2.0 ± 0.1 δ 2.1 ± 0.3 1.1 ± 0.5 2.1 ± 0.2 δ
Whole grains (10)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 2.4 ± 0.2 2.3 ± 0.2 2.5 ± 0.3 2.9 ± 0.3
Non-Hispanic black 1.8 ± 0.4 2.0 ± 0.6 2.5 ± 0.7 2.3 ± 0.5
Hispanic 2.1 ± 0.3 2.3 ± 0.2 2.4 ± 0.8 2.0 ± 0.2 δ
Dairy (10)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 5.6 ± 0.2 5.5 ± 0.3 6.0 ± 0.2 5.4 ± 0.2
Non-Hispanic black 3.7 ± 0.4 δ 3.3 ± 0.2 δ 4.1 ± 0.4 δ 5.0 ± 0.6
Hispanic 4.5 ± 0.4 δ 5.3 ± 0.3 5.6 ± 0.6 5.4 ± 0.3 *
Total protein foods (5)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 3.5 ± 0.1 3.4 ± 0.2 3.5 ± 0.1 3.4 ± 0.1
Non-Hispanic black 3.6 ± 0.2 3.3 ± 0.2 3.7 ± 0.2 3.7 ± 0.3
Hispanic 3.9 ± 0.2 3.8 ± 0.2 3.0 ± 0.5 3.6 ± 0.1
Seafood and plant protein (5)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 2.1 ± 0.1 2.2 ± 0.1 2.1 ± 0.1 2.3 ± 0.2
Non-Hispanic black 2.0 ± 0.3 2.3 ± 0.2 2.1 ± 0.2 2.7 ± 0.4
Hispanic 2.6 ± 0.2 2.4 ± 0.2 1.5 ± 0.4 * 2.2 ± 0.1
Fatty acid ratio (10)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 5.3 ± 0.2 4.8 ± 0.3 4.7 ± 0.2 4.9 ± 0.4
Non-Hispanic black 5.8 ± 0.4 6.1 ± 0.5 δ 5.9 ± 0.8 5.3 ± 0.7
Hispanic 5.6 ± 0.5 4.6 ± 0.3 4.1 ± 0.9 4.9 ± 0.3
Moderation components
Refined grains (10)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 7.0 ± 0.3 6.2 ± 0.3 * 7.0 ± 0.2 7.0 ± 0.2
Non-Hispanic black 6.5 ± 0.5 6.4 ± 0.7 7.1 ± 0.4 7.9 ± 0.4 *δ
Hispanic 6.5 ± 0.3 5.7 ± 0.8 5.9 ± 0.6 5.8 ± 0.3 δ
Sodium (10)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 6.1 ± 0.2 6.3 ± 0.2 6.3 ± 0.2 6.4 ± 0.3
Non-Hispanic black 6.3 ± 0.5 7.9 ± 0.3 *δ 6.8 ± 0.3 7.1 ± 0.6
Hispanic 7.0 ± 0.4 δ 7.4 ± 0.7 6.7 ± 0.6 7.1 ± 0.4
Added sugars (10)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 5.6 ± 0.2 6.2 ± 0.3 2.2 ± 0.1 6.5 ± 0.3 *
Non-Hispanic black 5.3 ± 0.3 6.0 ± 0.3 5.8 ± 0.2 5.5 ± 0.7
Hispanic 6.0 ± 0.2 6.5 ± 0.4 5.3 ± 0.9 6.3 ± 0.4
Saturated fats (10)
Non-Hispanic white (reference) 5.3 ± 0.2 5.2 ± 0.5 5.4 ± 0.2 5.6 ± 0.2
Non-Hispanic black 6.2 ± 0.3 δ 6.1 ± 0.3 5.5 ± 0.2 6.3 ± 0.5
Hispanic 5.9 ± 0.3 δ 5.9 ± 0.2 5.4 ± 0.5 5.8 ± 0.3

* denotes a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the mean ± SE between the value of the HEI category from the South and another region for a given race. δ denotes a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the value of the HEI category from the non-Hispanic white and another race for a given region. Adjusted for age of the primary respondent, family income-to-poverty ratio, SNAP participation, any smoker in the household, education level of the primary respondent, and self-perceived health status of the primary respondent.