Current methods of assessing food intake
Nesheim, R.O.
Progress in Clinical and Biological Research 67: 49-57
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0361-7742 PMID: 7301868 Document Number: 178063
A variety of methods used to assess food intake are reviewed. The methods used depend upon the purpose for which the data are to be used. For example: dietary surveys are concerned with what people eat, while nutrition surveys attempt to determine nutritional status from various physical and biochemical measurements. The principal interest is in relating food intake patterns to health status (including nutritional status). The most common current methods of assessing food intake are often inadequate. A brief review of many of the common methods will reveal their limitations. Validity and reliability of the resultant data are 2 critical criteria for evaluating dietary methods. Far more work has been done in evaluating the reliability of methods than in testing their validity. The 24-hour dietary recall method has a number of disadvantages. A food consumption as well as a nutrition and health status monitoring system was recently proposed. The advantage of the proposed system, while more costly than a single 24-hour recall, is that it provides for measuring the usual food intake of individuals or population groups. It's true costs must be evaluated relative to the improved value of the information obtained. (wz)