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Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program

Reviewing & Cleaning ASA24® Data

ASA24

General Guidelines for Reviewing & Cleaning Data

Researchers using the ASA24 system should consider how best to review and clean ASA24 data based on individual study needs and interests. The following document provides general guidelines from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) regarding how to review and edit ASA24 data.

Importing CSV Files into SAS

The ASA24 system provides Researchers with their data in CSV format. CSV files can be imported into any number of software applications for data review, cleaning, and analysis purposes. Since SAS is a commonly used software program, we have provided SAS code to assist Researchers with importing ASA24 CSV files into SAS. Researchers who use this SAS code should verify the SAS log and the resulting SAS datasets have correctly processed your study’s CSV files.

For ASA24-2022: For ASA24-2020: For ASA24-2018: For ASA24-2016:

Calculating Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) Food Group Equivalents

The underlying food group databases for ASA24 versions prior to ASA24-2016 are not directly comparable (see a table comparing the features of all versions of ASA24).

The 2011, 2012 and 2014 versions of ASA24 provided food group output from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) MyPyramid Equivalents Database (MPED). Below, we provide SAS code which computes food group variables into the more recent Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) which was used in ASA24-2018 and ASA24-2016. After this calculation is complete, food group data from ASA24 2011, 2012, and 2014 can be harmonized with food group data from ASA24-2016 and ASA24-2018; and can be used to compute the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) and the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010).

Nutrient database variables did not change between older versions of ASA24 and the more recent ASA24-2018, therefore, no conversion code is required for harmonization. However, while the nutrient variables and units have not changed from one version of ASA24 to another, there have been updates to the underlying Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS). This may result in some slight variation in actual nutrient and food group amounts due to updates to the data.

There are two SAS programs provided.  The first generates FPED for ASA24-2011/12 and the second for ASA24-2014.  The SAS programs use the Excel file, also provided below. Comments in the SAS program indicate where it needs to be edited to provide the folder location of ASA24 data relevant to the user’s own network.

ASA24 is a registered trademark of HHS.