How is the healthy eating index calculated?

December 18, 2025 •

3 min read

The average Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2020) score for U.S. adults is 58 out of 100, indicating that American diets do not align well with federal dietary recommendations. This comprehensive scoring system provides a structured framework for evaluating the overall quality of a person's diet.

Quick Summary

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is calculated by scoring 13 dietary components, measuring both adequacy and moderation of food and nutrient intake to assess overall diet quality.

Key Points

Component-Based Scoring: The HEI assesses diet quality based on 13 components, covering both beneficial food groups (adequacy) and dietary elements to limit (moderation).
Proportional Points: Scores for each component are awarded on a sliding scale. Adequacy components score higher with increased intake, while moderation components score higher with decreased intake.
Total Score out of 100: The final HEI score is a summation of all component scores, resulting in a single value that represents overall diet quality relative to federal guidelines.
Data-Intensive Process: Calculating the HEI requires detailed dietary intake data, typically from 24-hour recalls or food records, and relies on specialized databases to process this information accurately.
Uses in Public Health: HEI scores are widely used to monitor population dietary trends, evaluate nutritional interventions, and inform public health policy.

What is the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)?

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI), a tool developed by the USDA and NCI, is a measure of diet quality and adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). It provides a score from 0 to 100, with higher scores reflecting better alignment with dietary recommendations. The HEI is widely used in nutritional research and public health. The current version, HEI-2020, uses 13 components, categorized as either adequacy or moderation, to calculate a total score. Calculating an HEI score involves collecting dietary data and applying specific scoring algorithms.

The Components of the HEI

Adequacy Components

Adequacy components measure the intake of food groups to encourage. Higher intake results in a higher score, up to a maximum. The nine adequacy components in HEI-2020 are Total Fruits, Whole Fruits, Total Vegetables, Greens and Beans, Whole Grains, Dairy, Total Protein Foods, Seafood and Plant Proteins, and Fatty Acids (ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats).

Moderation Components

Moderation components measure the intake of dietary elements to limit. Lower intake results in a higher score. The four moderation components are Refined Grains, Sodium, Added Sugars, and Saturated Fats.

Step-by-Step Calculation of the HEI Score

Step 1: Collect Dietary Data

Calculating an HEI score begins with gathering detailed dietary information, typically through 24-hour recalls, food records, or food frequency questionnaires. Multiple days of data provide a more accurate picture of usual intake.

Step 2: Determine Dietary Constituents

Collected data is processed using databases like FNDDS and FPED to quantify relevant dietary components. These tools break down food items into equivalent units and nutrient values needed for scoring.

Step 3: Construct Ratios and Score Components

Component amounts are usually expressed per 1,000 kilocalories, then compared to HEI scoring standards. Scores are awarded proportionally based on intake between minimum and maximum standards. For example, if a maximum score of 10 points is for ≥8 units, consuming 4 units earns 5 points.

Step 4: Sum the Component Scores

The individual scores for all 13 components are added together to produce the final HEI score, out of a possible 100 points, indicating overall diet quality.

How is the Healthy Eating Index Calculated?: A Comparison of Components


Component Category	HEI-2020 Component	Maximum Points	Scoring Logic
Adequacy	Total Fruits	5	Score increases with higher intake, up to maximum standard of ≥0.8 cup equivalents/1,000 kcal.
Adequacy	Whole Grains	10	Score increases with higher intake, up to maximum standard of ≥1.5 ounce equivalents/1,000 kcal.
Adequacy	Dairy	10	Score increases with higher intake, up to maximum standard of ≥1.3 cup equivalents/1,000 kcal.
Adequacy	Seafood & Plant Proteins	5	Score increases with higher intake, up to maximum standard of ≥0.8 ounce equivalents/1,000 kcal.
Moderation	Refined Grains	10	Score decreases with higher intake, reaching zero at ≥4.3 ounce equivalents/1,000 kcal.
Moderation	Added Sugars	10	Score decreases with higher intake, reaching zero at ≥26% of energy.
Moderation	Sodium	10	Score decreases with higher intake, reaching zero at ≥2.0 g/1,000 kcal.
Moderation	Saturated Fats	10	Score decreases with higher intake, reaching zero at ≥16% of energy.

The Importance of the Healthy Eating Index

The HEI is a crucial tool for monitoring population dietary trends and assessing the effectiveness of nutrition policies and programs. It provides a standardized measure of diet quality that considers the overall eating pattern, helping to understand a population's nutritional status and its link to chronic disease risk.

Conclusion

The Healthy Eating Index is a comprehensive system for evaluating diet quality based on adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Its calculation involves collecting detailed dietary data, utilizing databases to determine constituent amounts, scoring 13 adequacy and moderation components proportionally, and summing these scores for a final result out of 100. The HEI is essential for tracking dietary patterns, evaluating interventions, and informing public health initiatives. More information and tools are available from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/hei/.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Healthy Eating Index was developed through a collaboration between the USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), with regular updates to reflect the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The HEI-2020 includes 13 components divided into two categories: adequacy and moderation. Adequacy components include Total Fruits, Whole Grains, and Dairy. Moderation components include Refined Grains, Sodium, and Added Sugars.

A higher HEI score indicates better adherence to dietary recommendations. An ideal score is 100, while the average score for Americans is much lower, reflecting room for improvement in diet quality.

A single HEI score from one day of intake data does not capture a person's usual diet due to day-to-day variability. Multiple recalls or dietary records are needed for a more accurate assessment of usual intake.

Adequacy components award more points for a higher intake of beneficial foods, up to a maximum standard. Moderation components, conversely, award more points for a lower intake of foods to be limited.

Yes, although it's important to consider that a single day's score may not be representative of a person's long-term dietary patterns. A personalized HEI nutrition report is being developed to assist with clinical practice.

For adequacy components, a zero score means no food from that group was consumed. For moderation components, a zero score is assigned when intake exceeds the established maximum standard.