Diet Quality of Supermarket Sales Circulars measured by the Healthy Eating Index‐2010

The purpose of this study was to determine how closely the contents of weekly supermarket sales circulars conform to current dietary guidance and how closely the diet quality of those foods compare to that of the U.S. population's intakes. Food and beverage items (n = 9,151) in 52 weekly circulars from a small Midwestern grocery chain in 2009 were identified and coded to obtain food group, nutrient and total energy content. This information was used to calculate HEI‐2010 total and component scores for the year. HEI‐2010 scores for the US population ages 2+ were estimated using day 1 dietary intakes from the 2009‐2010 WWEIA, NHANES. The average total (55.4 ± 0.7) and component scores for the US population were low, and total (43.3) and component scores of the circulars were even lower. The total protein foods score was the only component for which 100% of the maximum score was met by both the population and the circulars. The scores for whole grains were similar (22% and 21%), as were scores for seafood and plant proteins (74% and 73%) for the population and circulars. Scores for the circulars were lower for total and whole fruits, total vegetables and greens and beans, dairy, sodium, and empty calories. Only scores for fatty acids and refined grains were higher for the circulars. HEI‐2010 sales circulars scores were lower than population scores, and both were inadequate. If supermarkets want to help consumers choose more healthfully, they could consider the diet quality of the foods featured each week. Support: USDA‐ARS 3062‐51000‐051‐00D.