Sustainable Dietary Score: Methodology for Its Assessment in Mexico Based on EAT-Lancet Recommendations

Abstract

We developed a Sustainable Dietary Score (SDS) based on the EAT-Lancet commission's recommendations and evaluated its adherence in a sample of Mexican adults. We used data on 1908 men and women aged 19 to 59 participating in the Health Workers Cohort Study in 2004. Fourteen of the healthy reference diet components were used to develop the SDS. We computed an individual SDS for each food component with scales from 0 (non-adherence) to 10 (perfect adherence), as well as a total SDS including all components, ranging from 0 to 140, based on a food frequency questionnaire. Our score incorporates characteristics of the context in which the score is applied, such as the high consumption of tortillas and eggs, and cut-off points that consider the nutrient deficiencies that prevail in the Mexican population. We propose a practical methodology to estimate a SDS incorporating a gradual score for a better distinction between the degrees of adherence to the reference diet proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission.