Learn More about Technology in Dietary Assesssment

The measurement of dietary intake has, by necessity, traditionally relied on self-report instruments (see 24-hour Dietary Recall Profile, Food Record Profile, Food Frequency Questionnaire Profile, and Screeners Profile). A variety of such instruments exist, but they have high respondent burden, require costly processing, and the resulting data are prone to varying degrees of [glossary term:] measurement error (see Key Concepts about Measurement Error). To overcome some of these limitations, several research teams are developing instruments designed to improve [glossary term:] accuracy, reduce respondent and researcher burden, and automate the processing of data.

These instruments are at varying stages of development and are part of a growing technological toolbox that includes automated versions of 24-hour dietary recalls (24HR), food records, and food frequency questionnaires (FFQ). Although these newer tools have some expanded abilities regarding data capture and processing, the recommendations elsewhere in this Primer about data analysis and caveats concerning limitations of the data do still pertain (see Choosing an Approach for Dietary Assessment).

For More Information

Amoutzopoulos B, et al. Traditional methods v. new technologies - dilemmas for dietary assessment in large-scale nutrition surveys and studies: a report following an international panel discussion at the 9th International Conference on Diet and Activity Methods (ICDAM9), Brisbane, 3 September 2015. J Nutr Sci. 2018. [View abstract]

Cade JE. Measuring diet in the 21st century: use of new technologies. Proc Nutr Soc. 2017. [View abstract]

Kirkpatrick SI, Subar AF, Douglass D, Zimmerman TP, Thompson FE, Kahle LL, George SM, Dodd KW, Potischman N. Performance of the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Recall relative to a measure of true intakes and to an interviewer-administered 24-h recall. Am J Clin Nutr 2014 Apr 30;100(1):233-240. [Epub ahead of print] [View Abstract]