Healthy Eating Index-2010 and food groups consumed by US adults who meet or exceed fiber intake recommendations NHANES 2001–2010

BACKGROUND: The proportion of the US adult population who meet fiber intake recommendations is very low. Information about food groups consumed and diet quality for the adults who consume recommended amounts of fiber are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To examine food groups consumed and Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) scores for US adults meeting the fiber adequate intake (AI) based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data 2001–2010. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of NHANES data from 2001 to 2010. Participants included adults aged 19 and older (n=24,807) with complete day 1 dietary records. Variables measured were food group sources of fiber and HEI-2010 scores. Sample-weighted data were used to calculate least square means (LSM)±standard error of the mean (SEM) by fiber intake quartile along with HEI-2010 scores. Significance was set at P<0.05. RESULTS: Major fiber food sources for US adults meeting the AI were grain products, vegetables, legumes, and fruits. The top grain products consumed were grain mixtures, ready-to-eat (RTE) cereals, and breads/rolls. The mean HEI-2010 score for adults meeting the AI for fiber was significantly (P<0.001) higher compared with all adult participants. The mean HEI-2010 score increased with increasing fiber intake in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Adults who meet the AI for fiber have a higher quality diet. Fiber may be an important dietary component that predicts diet quality.