Methodology for developing a nutrient and food pattern equivalents database for selected branded foods in the USDA National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey-1

Abstract

The objective was to develop Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI) nutrients and food pattern equivalents (FPEs) for about 3500 branded foods that were among the foods collected in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey-1 that could not be directly linked to foods in the USDA nutrient and food pattern equivalents databases. Computation of the HEI requires energy, total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, sodium, and USDA Food Pattern Equivalents for each of the foods. This study used food label data, USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release (SR-Legacy), USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) 2013–2014, and USDA Food Patterns Equivalents Databases (FPED/FPID) 2013–2014. Food labels do not contain FPEs. At the time of the study, added sugars was not included in food labels. However, added sugars is one of the 37 components of FPED/FPID. This study illustrates the stepwise process for estimating nutrient and food pattern profiles, with examples such as frozen vegetables, cake mix, fruit and nut bar, and dry dinner mix with rice and seasonings by using publicly available USDA food databases mentioned above.