Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 Scores Are Moderately Correlated with Healthy Eating Index-2010 Scores in the Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey, 2012–13

ObjectiveThis study evaluates the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016), a new tool developed at the University of Utah for assessing household grocery food purchase quality. We used the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), a well-validated assessment method, as the reference standard. Instead of using amounts of foods or nutrients, the GPQI-2016 is based on the expenditure shares for the 29 food categories found in the USDA Food Plans. It includes the eight food-based adequacy components (Total Vegetables, Greens and Beans, Total Fruit, Whole Fruit, Whole Grains, Dairy, Total Protein Foods, and Seafood and Plant Proteins) and one food-based moderation component of the HEI-2010 (Refined Grains), plus additional moderation components for Added Sugars and Processed Meats. Components of the HEI-2010 not included in the GPQI-2016 are Fatty Acids, Sodium, and Empty Calories. MethodsIn 2012–13 the USDA Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS) conducted the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase...