Food Patterns Equivalents Database: Development parameters and implications for the future

Authors: Waller, Anna; Martin, Carrie; MORTON, SUZANNE - American Society For Nutrition; Friday, James; Myrowitz, Rebecca; Moshfegh, Alanna

Submitted to: Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/26/2025
Publication Date: 5/27/2025
Citation: Waller, A.W., Martin, C.L., Morton, S., Friday, J.E., Myrowitz, R., Moshfegh, A.J. 2025. Food Patterns Equivalents Database: Development parameters and implications for the future. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 107853,ISSN 0889-1575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2025.107853.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2025.107853

Interpretive Summary: The Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) characterizes foods found in the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) based on the 37 USDA Food Pattern components. FPED allows researchers a unique way to compare diets to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Over the past two decades, there have been 10 versions of FPED released. While FPED’s purpose has remained the same, its methodology has evolved in tandem with FNDDS. Several federal nutrition policies and programs rely on FPED for their development, maintenance, and monitoring. In this work, the history of FPED, its methodology, and related policies and programs are described. The most recent FPED, the FPED for Use with What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017-March 2020 Prepandemic, as well as all previous versions are publicly available at www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg. FPED has potential to link nutrition, agriculture, and food economics and is useful to researchers, nutritionists, nutrition educators, economists, and policymakers, particularly to evaluate how well Americans adhere to the DGA recommendations.

Technical Abstract: The USDA’s Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) converts the foods in the Food and Nutrients Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) used for What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA, NHANES) to the 37 USDA Food Patterns (FP) components. In FPED, Fruit, Vegetables, and Dairy are expressed in cup equivalents; Grains and Protein Foods in ounce equivalents; Alcoholic Drinks in number of drinks; Added Sugars in teaspoon equivalents; and Oils and Solid Fats in gram equivalents. The 10 versions of FPED have evolved methodologies over the last two decades to stay current with FNDDS versions. In this work, the 10 versions are described with their development parameters. The most recent FPED version, the FPED for Use with What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017-March 2020 Prepandemic, used a unique methodology to account for the truncated collection year due to the coronavirus disease 2019. Finally, related federal nutrition policies and programs, namely MyPlate, Thrifty Food Plan, Healthy Eating Index, Healthy People 2030 Initiative, and ASA24 are highlighted for their reliance on FPED data for their development, maintenance, and ongoing monitoring.