An Assessment of the Validity of an Audio-Video Method of Food Journaling for Dietary Quantity and Quality

Abstract

Objective. To validate an audio-video (AV) method of food journaling, in a free-living scenario, compared to direct, weighed food assessment. Design and Setting. Data were collected in a cafeteria. Meals, selected by participants (n=30), were documented using the AV method: participants video-recorded their tray while audio-recording a description of their selected meal, after which the research team digitally weighed each food item and created an itemized diary record of the food. Variables Measured. Data from the AV method and from the weighed food diaries were transcribed and entered into a nutrition software analysis program (Nutribase Pro 10.0). Nutrient outputs were compared between the two methods including kilocalories, macronutrients, and selected micronutrients. Analyses. Using mean scores for each variable, Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Spearman’s correlation coefficients were conducted. Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for absolute agreement between the two methods to assess interrater reliability. Results. With the exception of Vitamin E and total weight, nutrient values were highly correlated between methods and were statistically significant given alpha = 0.05, power = 0.95, and effect size of 0.70. Conclusions. The AV method may be a meaningful alternative to diary recording in a free-living setting.

Assessment of Dietary Intake Using Food Photography and Video Recording in Free-Living Young Adults: A Comparative Study

“…A recent study compared the use of the VR method with WFR for assessing the dietary intake of 30 adults in a cafeteria setting. 27 The study reported that VR was a valid method for estimating dietary intake in this population and setting. The performance of VR has not yet been tested in free-living conditions, such as at home, at work, or when dining out.…”

Speech Recording for Dietary Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Fifteen studies reported the gender of participants totalling 358 female and 172 male participants. A mix of female and male participants was included in 12 studies [4], [15], [16], [19]- [23], [27], [29], [30], [41], females only by two studies [5], [13] and males only by one study [24]. The median ratio of female to male participants was 16 to 12 (range 1-73 to .…”

“…The setting in which recordings took place fell into two categories: free living, where the participant has full control over food selection (n = 17) [4], [5], [8], [13]- [15], [19]- [21], [23]- [25], [27], [29], [30], [36], [41] and controlled, where the researchers have that control (n = 4). Where the recording was controlled researchers either: created a script for participants to read (n = 2) [26], [28]; pre-made the meal participants were asked to describe (n = 1) [22]; or provided a limited set of items (n = 1) [16].…”

Eat4Thought: A Design of Food Journaling

“…Video recording can add more dimensions to the photographic food diaries to further help qualify nutrient consumption [16], and enable users to describe any hidden food ingredients while recording videos [13].…”

“…The use of video has received more attention in recent years in the areas of education and professional training [3]. Video provides additional richness beyond that of photographic food dairies, such as capturing eating contexts simultaneously [13]. We used smartphone video recording to enable rich data capture, and to allow users vividly document their eating experiences and evocatively recall their food choices, external environmental features, and internal feelings.…”