To assess and monitor the dietary status of Americans, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion developed the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). The HEI is composed of IO components, each repre­senting different aspects of a healthful diet: Components 1-5 measure the degree to which a person's diet conforms to USDA's Food Guide Pyramid servmg recommen­dations for the five major food groups (grains. vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat); Components 6 and 7 measure total fat and saturated fat consumption as a percentage of total food energy intake; Components 8 and 9 measure total cholesterol and sodium intake; and Component IO examines variety in a person's diet. The HEI was computed for people 2 years of age and over and subgroups of the population using data from the 1994-96 Contmumg Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals. Most people have a diet that needs improvement. Approximately 12 percent of the population have a good diet. and 18 percent of people have a poor diet. Americans especially need to improve their fruit and milk products consumption. Males age 15 to 18. in particular, tend to have lower quality diets. African Amencans, people with low income. and those with a high school diploma or less education also have lower quality diets. These findings provide an awareness and better understanding of the types of dietary changes needed to improve people's eating patterns.