Evaluation of New Technology-Based Tools for Dietary Intake Assessment—An ILSI Europe Dietary Intake and Exposure Task Force Evaluation

Abstract

Background: New technology-based dietary assessment tools, including Web-based programs, mobile applications, and wearable devices, may improve accuracy and reduce costs of dietary data collection and processing. The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Europe Dietary Intake and Exposure Task Force launched this project to evaluate new tools in order to recommend general quality standards for future applications. Methods: A comprehensive literature search identified technology-based dietary assessment tools, including those published in English from 01/2011 to 09/2017, and providing details on tool features, functions and uses. Each of the 43 tools identified (33 for research and 10 designed for consumer use) was rated on 25 attributes. Results: Most of the tools identified (79%) relied on self-reported dietary intakes. Most (91%) used text entry and 33% used digital images to help identify foods. Only 65% had integrated databases for estimating energy or nutrients. Fewer than 50% contained any features of customization and about half generated automatic reports. Most tools reported on usability or reported validity compared with another assessment method (77%). A set of Best Practice Guidelines was developed for reporting dietary assessment tools using new technology. Conclusions: Dietary assessment methods that utilize technology offer many advantages for research and are often preferable to consumers over more traditional methods. In order to meet general quality standards, new technology tools require detailed publications describing tool development, food identification and quantification, customization, outputs, food composition tables used, and usability/validity testing.

Measuring energy, macro and micronutrient intake in UK children and adolescents: a comparison of validated dietary assessment tools

“…Furthermore, these studies were on infants and young children (up to age 4.5 years old), where dietary intake was completed by adult carers which may increase accuracy. A wide LOA was found for the Livingstone weighed food diary validated against the DLW (n = 58,38). This may be due to the the wide age range (7-18 years old) with older children more involved in recording intake, and/or because data for this study was obtained via different sources such as parents, child minders and school lunch supervisory staff some of whom may not have been trained adequately in completing the DAT [20].…”

“…Additionally, such tools may assist children and adolescents with lower cognitive and literacy skills to report their food intake. However, challenges remain relating to following procedures associated with these DATs, food databases and portion size estimation [58]. In this review, two DATs were identified which made use of new technologies which were both on-line 24-h recalls.…”

“…A more recent publication has found that the myfood24 online 24-h recall is comparable to the more time-consuming and costly interviewer-based 24-h recall across a range of biomarker measures [59]. A review of new technology-based dietary assessment tools has identified limitations with these approaches and provided guidance for reporting studies [58].…”

Current Developments in Digital Quantitative Volume Estimation for the Optimisation of Dietary Assessment

“…Poor literacy and education levels can compound a lack of clarity and attention to portion sizes and ingredients used, in turn affecting the accuracy of the dietary records [24,27,32,[51][52][53]. Despite the fact that most prospective studies begin with a degree of training for respondents, the effectiveness and receptiveness of the training is dependent on the participants' abilities to grasp and execute these concepts [24,32,51,52]. This is further amplified by the complexity of Southeast Asian diets, and the reliance on food consumed outside the home can make it difficult for individuals to be aware of all the ingredients in the food [32,44].…”

Championing evidence‐based nutrition science in the next decade

“…Difference in the response of individuals to dietary components is well‐recognised and an interest in personalisation is a consequence of a better understanding of how diet affects health, the new wearable technologies (such as fitness trackers and mobile apps) that now enable better and continuous measurement of markers of individual health and fitness parameters, and new analytical tools that interpret this flow of data and transform it into user‐friendly practical information for individuals (Ordovas et al ; Eldridge et al ). There is no formal definition of personalised nutrition but it is described by Ordovas et al () as an approach that uses information on individual characteristics to develop targeted nutritional advice, products and services.…”