Introduction:

Diet Quality Indicators (DQIns) are tools for assessing the characteristics of dietary patterns based on knowledge of the relationship between dietary factors, lifestyles, and health outcomes. The aim of this paper was to propose a new diet quality index using an a priori approach for application in nursing homes, Quality Index for Nutrition in Nursing Homes, QUINN index.

Methodology:

The selection of the components was based on a rapid review performed on previously published indexes and the main food groups related to the prevention of geriatric syndromes and chronic diseases of high prevalence in the geriatric population. The QUINN index was based on 15 dietary-food components, 12 of which referred to basic foods of a healthy diet (vegetables, fruits, legumes, olive oil -preferably extra virgin-, cereals, dairy, white fish and shellfish, white meat, and eggs, positive components); other fats, red meat, and sweets (negative components), together with 3 additional positive components (variety of vegetables and fruits, oily fish, and whole grains). Each component was classified into 4 categories (0, 1, 2 or 3 points), with a final range of 0 to 45 points.

Conclusions:

To our knowledge the QUINN index is the first a priori diet quality index developed specifically to evaluate menus offered in nursing homes. This tool will provide information on diet quality for menu design. The QUINN index could be a useful instrument to implement intervention strategies to improve in a simple way the diet offered in institutions and to improve the nutritional status and health of the institutionalised geriatric population.

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