OBJECTIVE: This study was to adapt and to applied the U.S.A.'s Healthy Eating Index to evaluate the diet quality of individuals (n=50) residing in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: The food intake was measured by the 24-hour dietary recall method, and evaluated by an adapted Healthy Eating Index. The index was obtained by a score of the distribution of the ten components of the considered healthy diet. RESULTS: The mean Healthy Eating Index was 51,5; it was found that 12 percent of individuals had "good" diets; 74 percent, had diets that "needed improvement"; and 14 percent, had "poor" diets. There were a negative and significant correlation (p<0,05) between the Healthy Eating Index and the total dietary fat, fatty acids, cholesterol and sodium. The mean retinol and fiber intakes, presented a positive and significant correlation with the Healthy Eating Index. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the use of Healthy Eating Index in a target population is feasible.
quality of diet; healthy eating index; diet; nutrition
