DINE: A Next Generation Diet Management and Evaluation System

Currently, the Recommended Dietary Allowances (1989), the Dietary Goals for the United States (1977), the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (1990), the Nutrition Facts Label, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Health and Human Services (USDA/HHS, 1992) Food Guide Pyramid are the major standards used to assess the nutritional adequacy of eating patterns and to provide food guidance for Americans. None of these guidelines has a composite scoring system and is inclusive of all the important nutrients. The DINE evaluation process was developed, based on national nutrition objectives, to quickly and accurately evaluate food choices using a straightforward scoring procedure with predictor nutrients. The DINE process also includes a diet management system that provides a comparison of an individual's actual diet with his or her ideal diet and personalized messages. Evaluations with diversified populations were conducted over a 10-year period to develop and to refine the process.