Table 2. Mean Diet Quality Scores Among US Adults Aged 65 Years or Older by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Cycles, 2001-2018.
| AHA and HEI-2015 total scores | Survey-weighted mean score (95% CI) | P value for trend | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-2002 | 2003-2004 | 2005-2006 | 2007-2008 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | 2013-2014 | 2015-2016 | 2017-2018 | ||
| No. | 1155 | 1296 | 1047 | 1396 | 1379 | 1030 | 1105 | 1209 | 1220 | |
| AHA scores | ||||||||||
| Primary score | 19.84 (19.40-20.29) | 19.19 (18.77-19.62) | 24.00 (23.53-24.48) | 19.62 (19.20-20.04) | 21.04 (20.64-21.45) | 18.66 (18.19-19.14) | 21.55 (21.09-22.01) | 20.36 (19.91-20.80) | 18.28 (17.84-18.73) | <.001 |
| Fruits and vegetables | 5.07 (4.87-5.28) | 4.39 (4.19-4.58) | 3.74 (3.52-3.95) | 4.55 (4.37-4.74) | 4.54 (4.36-4.73) | 3.86 (3.65-4.08) | 3.22 (3.01-3.43) | 3.71 (3.51-3.91) | 3.71 (3.52-3.91) | <.001 |
| Whole grains | 1.76 (1.59-1.93) | 1.49 (1.34-1.64) | 1.56 (1.40-1.73) | 1.89 (1.73-2.04) | 1.51 (1.36-1.65) | 1.64 (1.46-1.82) | 1.63 (1.46-1.80) | 1.34 (1.18-1.49) | 1.51 (1.34-1.67) | .02 |
| Fish and shellfish | 2.61 (2.45-2.78) | 1.12 (0.96-1.29) | 6.84 (6.64-7.04) | 0.95 (0.80-1.10) | 3.98 (3.81-4.15) | 1.23 (1.04-1.43) | 3.97 (3.79-4.16) | 2.92 (2.75-3.09) | 1.77 (1.59-1.95) | <.001 |
| Sugar-sweetened beverages | 5.08 (4.84-5.33) | 6.63 (6.40-6.85) | 5.82 (5.56-6.09) | 6.56 (6.34-6.78) | 5.93 (5.70-6.16) | 6.02 (5.76-6.29) | 6.53 (6.28-6.78) | 6.93 (6.70-7.17) | 5.74 (5.49-5.98) | .03 |
| Sodium | 5.31 (5.16-5.46) | 5.56 (5.42-5.70) | 6.04 (5.88-6.21) | 5.67 (5.53-5.81) | 5.08 (4.95-5.21) | 5.91 (5.75-6.06) | 6.20 (6.05-6.36) | 5.45 (5.31-5.60) | 5.55 (5.41-5.70) | .03 |
| Secondary score | 34.75 (34.11-35.39) | 33.84 (33.21-34.47) | 38.12 (37.43-38.81) | 33.94 (33.34-34.55) | 36.16 (35.57-36.74) | 33.67 (33.02-34.33) | 35.56 (34.88-36.23) | 35.10 (34.44-35.75) | 31.83 (31.17-32.48) | <.001 |
| Nuts, seeds, and legumes | 3.07 (2.91-3.22) | 1.69 (1.51-1.87) | 1.85 (1.68-2.02) | 2.39 (2.22-2.55) | 3.39 (3.24-3.54) | 1.71 (1.56-1.86) | 1.29 (1.13-1.45) | 2.24 (2.07-2.41) | 1.81 (1.65-1.98) | <.001 |
| Processed meat | 6.02 (5.78-6.26) | 7.50 (7.28-7.71) | 7.16 (6.91-7.42) | 6.56 (6.34-6.77) | 6.32 (6.10-6.55) | 7.52 (7.27-7.76) | 7.43 (7.19-7.67) | 7.49 (7.26-7.72) | 7.07 (6.82-7.31) | .002 |
| Saturated fat | 5.82 (5.62-6.02) | 5.47 (5.28-5.66) | 5.11 (4.89-5.32) | 5.38 (5.20-5.57) | 5.40 (5.21-5.59) | 5.78 (5.57-5.99) | 5.28 (5.07-5.50) | 5.01 (4.80-5.21) | 4.66 (4.46-4.87) | <.001 |
| HEI-2015 total score | 47.82 (47.11-48.52) | 47.03 (46.35-47.71) | 46.37 (45.61-47.13) | 46.94 (46.28-47.60) | 46.17 (45.51-46.83) | 46.26 (45.50-47.03) | 46.26 (45.47-47.05) | 43.73 (42.95-44.52) | 45.25 (44.53-45.98) | <.001 |
| Adequacy components | ||||||||||
| Total fruits | 3.10 (2.98-3.23) | 2.97 (2.85-3.09) | 3.06 (2.93-3.19) | 2.95 (2.83-3.07) | 3.02 (2.91-3.14) | 2.85 (2.71-2.99) | 2.77 (2.64-2.90) | 2.65 (2.53-2.78) | 2.44 (2.32-2.57) | <.001 |
| Whole fruits | 3.34 (3.21-3.47) | 3.24 (3.11-3.36) | 3.30 (3.16-3.44) | 3.09 (2.96-3.21) | 3.21 (3.08-3.33) | 3.00 (2.85-3.14) | 2.93 (2.79-3.07) | 2.86 (2.72-2.99) | 2.62 (2.49-2.76) | <.001 |
| Total vegetables | 3.17 (3.06-3.29) | 3.09 (2.98-3.19) | 3.05 (2.93-3.16) | 3.09 (2.98-3.19) | 3.00 (2.89-3.10) | 2.87 (2.75-2.99) | 2.90 (2.79-3.02) | 2.71 (2.60-2.83) | 2.68 (2.57-2.80) | <.001 |
| Greens and beans | 1.41 (1.28-1.53) | 1.44 (1.32-1.56) | 1.37 (1.24-1.50) | 1.40 (1.28-1.51) | 1.44 (1.32-1.55) | 1.28 (1.15-1.41) | 1.49 (1.37-1.62) | 1.47 (1.35-1.59) | 1.34 (1.22-1.46) | .15 |
| Whole grains | 2.24 (2.03-2.44) | 2.05 (1.86-2.23) | 2.06 (1.85-2.26) | 2.17 (1.99-2.36) | 2.17 (1.99-2.36) | 2.25 (2.03-2.48) | 2.31 (2.09-2.52) | 1.77 (1.58-1.97) | 1.78 (1.59-1.96) | .005 |
| Dairy | 5.65 (5.41-5.88) | 5.32 (5.10-5.54) | 5.72 (5.47-5.96) | 5.60 (5.39-5.81) | 5.34 (5.12-5.56) | 5.26 (5.00-5.51) | 4.87 (4.64-5.11) | 4.71 (4.48-4.95) | 4.34 (4.12-4.57) | <.001 |
| Total protein foods | 2.86 (2.74-2.98) | 2.86 (2.74-2.97) | 2.80 (2.68-2.92) | 2.69 (2.58-2.80) | 2.78 (2.67-2.89) | 3.09 (2.96-3.21) | 3.15 (3.04-3.27) | 3.09 (2.97-3.21) | 3.08 (2.97-3.20) | <.001 |
| Seafood and plant proteins | 1.31 (1.19-1.44) | 1.46 (1.34-1.58) | 1.45 (1.31-1.58) | 1.41 (1.30-1.53) | 1.51 (1.39-1.62) | 1.48 (1.35-1.61) | 1.47 (1.34-1.60) | 1.83 (1.70-1.97) | 1.49 (1.36-1.61) | .03 |
| Total monounsaturated fatty acids | 6.98 (6.81-7.16) | 7.02 (6.86-7.18) | 6.70 (6.50-6.89) | 6.86 (6.70-7.02) | 6.78 (6.61-6.95) | 7.12 (6.94-7.31) | 6.94 (6.76-7.12) | 6.84 (6.66-7.02) | 6.96 (6.78-7.13) | .03 |
| Moderation components | ||||||||||
| Refined grains | 3.56 (3.31-3.80) | 3.42 (3.19-3.65) | 3.19 (2.95-3.43) | 3.67 (3.45-3.89) | 3.55 (3.33-3.76) | 3.24 (2.99-3.49) | 3.66 (3.40-3.91) | 3.57 (3.33-3.81) | 2.63 (2.41-2.85) | <.001 |
| Sodium | 4.81 (4.60-5.02) | 4.96 (4.76-5.16) | 4.87 (4.64-5.10) | 4.70 (4.50-4.89) | 4.00 (3.82-4.19) | 4.14 (3.92-4.35) | 4.23 (4.02-4.44) | 4.41 (4.21-4.61) | 4.71 (4.51-4.91) | .03 |
| Added sugar | 2.72 (2.54-2.89) | 2.89 (2.72-3.05) | 2.84 (2.65-3.03) | 3.08 (2.92-3.25) | 3.15 (2.98-3.32) | 3.09 (2.90-3.28) | 3.47 (3.28-3.67) | 3.63 (3.45-3.81) | 5.69 (5.50-5.88) | <.001 |
| Saturated fats | 6.66 (6.47-6.85) | 6.34 (6.15-6.52) | 5.98 (5.76-6.19) | 6.23 (6.05-6.41) | 6.22 (6.04-6.41) | 6.61 (6.40-6.81) | 6.06 (5.85-6.27) | 5.81 (5.61-6.01) | 5.49 (5.28-5.69) | <.001 |
Abbreviations: AHA, American Heart Association; HEI, Healthy Eating Index.