Dietary Quality Index-International (DQI-I)

The Dietary Quality Index-International is a comprehensive dietary quality assessment tool developed to evaluate overall diet quality based on food and nutrient intake data. Introduced by Kim and colleagues in 2003, the DQI-I incorporates four key dimensions of diet quality: adequacy (adequate intake of essential nutrients and food groups), moderation (limiting excess intake of less healthful components), variety (diversity of food groups), and appropriate macronutrient distribution. It is widely used in epidemiological research to assess population dietary patterns and to examine relationships between diet quality and chronic disease outcomes.