Dietary Assessment Methods Flashcards
What factors contribute to the credibility and quality of dietary assessment methods?
Study design: Uses rigorous research methods (RCTs, observational studies, qualitative research).
Rigour: Ensures validity, reliability, large sample sizes for generalisability.
Plausibility: Aligns with existing knowledge and scientific understanding.
Conflict of interest: Transparency in funding and researcher affiliations to minimise bias.
Statistical significance: Must be interpreted in context—alone, it does not guarantee practical importance.
What are key factors in evaluating the reliability of information sources in dietary assessment?
Peer review: Published in peer-reviewed journals for quality validation.
Author expertise: Research conducted by professionals with strong credentials.
Reputation of sources: Reputable institutions uphold research standards.
Citations & references: Reliable research is supported by credible sources.
Publication date: Information must be current and up-to-date.
Cross-referencing: Findings should be consistent across multiple sources.
What is the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and how is it used?
A standardised dietary assessment tool commonly used in large epidemiological studies.
Assesses habitual food intake over a specified period (~1 year).
Captures frequency and portion sizes of various foods and beverages.
Helps investigate causal relationships between dietary patterns and health conditions.
What are the limitations of the FFQ?
Relative intake: Better for comparing patterns than quantifying absolute intake.
Portion estimation: Can be imprecise due to recall errors.
Standardisation issues: May not reflect diverse or regional diets.
Response bias: Social desirability may affect accuracy.
Short-term dietary changes: FFQ does not capture sudden variations in diet.
What are the key characteristics of 24-hour dietary recall?
Conducted by trained interviewers using structured questionnaires.
Guides participants through dietary intake for the past 24 hours.
Uses multiple passes to enhance accuracy and completeness.
Useful for assessing short-term nutrient intake and identifying deficiencies.
What are the strengths and limitations of 24-hour recall?
✔ Strengths: Quick, no literacy required, good for estimating nutrient intake, structured and standardised.
✖ Limitations: Day-to-day variability, memory recall issues, inaccurate portion estimation, seasonal variations, response bias, limited long-term diet history.
A researcher wants to assess dietary habits in detail over a few days without relying on memory recall. Which method is best, and why?
A 3-day food diary is ideal because it captures real-time intake, minimises memory bias, identifies dietary patterns, and provides detailed dietary information.
What are the limitations of a 3-day food diary?
Literacy requirement: Can exclude certain populations.
Compliance burden: Incomplete/inaccurate records possible.
Social desirability bias: Participants may alter eating habits.
Portion estimation errors.
Short-term focus: May not represent long-term intake.
Resource-intensive: Requires detailed data collection and analysis.
What is a weighted dietary record, and why is it considered highly accurate?
Involves weighing & recording all food/beverages consumed.
Provides precise measurements of portion sizes and cooking methods.
Considered a gold standard for dietary assessment.
Common in clinical research and small-scale studies requiring meticulous data collection.
A hospital is conducting a study requiring precise portion size measurement for all meals consumed by patients. Which method should they use, and why?
A weighted dietary record is ideal because it provides high accuracy, detailed food information, and validation for clinical research.
What are the limitations of weighted dietary records?
Resource-intensive: Requires trained personnel, time, and cost.
Participant burden: Can lead to non-compliance or incomplete data.
Behavioural changes: Participants may alter eating patterns due to awareness of being monitored.
Short-term focus: Only reflects intake for a set period.
How is nutrient intake analysis conducted in an inpatient setting?
Direct observation or inventory of plate waste.
Trained personnel (e.g., dietitians, researchers) monitor food intake.
Portion sizes, food items, and plate waste are carefully recorded.
What are the strengths and limitations of nutrient intake analysis?
✔ Strengths: High accuracy, useful for clinical care, individual-level analysis, supports medical nutrition therapy.
✖ Limitations: Resource-intensive, inpatient-specific, potential for observer bias, short-term focus, variable plate waste.
What is store turnover analysis, and how does it assess dietary patterns?
Examines food sales and turnover in local markets.
Helps assess community-wide dietary patterns, especially in remote/rural areas.
Provides objective data, avoiding self-reporting biases.
What are the limitations of store turnover analysis?
Limited nutrient detail.
Food storage & sharing may skew data.
Seasonal variations affect food availability.
Food distribution challenges.
A study aims to visually track food consumption without relying on memory recall. Which method is best, and why?
Digital photography is suitable because it reduces recall bias, provides visual accuracy, and is convenient for both researchers and participants.
What are the strengths and limitations of digital photography for dietary assessment?
✔ Strengths: Visual accuracy, reduced recall bias, convenience.
✖ Limitations: Selective recording, portion size estimation issues, subjectivity in interpretation, limited nutrient detail.
A researcher wants to observe infant feeding practices in real time. Which method is best, and why?
Direct observation is best as it captures actual behaviours, reduces recall bias, and provides insights into cultural and environmental feeding practices.
______ is commonly under-reported due to social stigma, while ______ is often over-reported due to its perceived health benefits.
Alcohol and fats; fruits and vegetables.
Who is most likely to under-report food intake, and why?
Women, overweight/obese individuals, elderly, and low-income groups.
Due to social desirability bias, memory recall issues, and cultural norms.
