Minimizing random error in dietary intakes assessed by 24-h recall, in overweight and obese adults

Abstract

Objective: To determine the minimum number of days of dietary intake interviews required to reduce the effects of random error (day-to-day variability in dietary intake) when using the multiple-pass, multiple-day, 24-h recall method. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: University research department. Subjects: A total of 50 healthy non-smoking overweight and obese (body mass index ¼ 26-40 kg/m 2 ) adult men and women aged 39-45 years completed the study. Participants were randomly selected from volunteers for a larger unrelated study. Interventions: Each participant completed 10, multiple-pass, 24-h recall interviews on randomly chosen days over 4 weeks. The minimum number of record days was determined for each macronutrient (carbohydrate, fat, protein) and energy, for each gender, to obtain a 'true' (unobservable) representative intake from reported (observed) dietary intakes. Results: The greatest number of days required to obtain a 'true' representative intake was 8 days. Carbohydrate intakes required the greatest number of days of dietary record among males (7 days), whereas protein required the greatest number of days among females (8 days) in this cohort. Sunday was the day of the week that showed greatest variability in macronutrient intakes. Protein (Po0.05) and fat (Po0.001) intakes were significantly more variable than carbohydrate on Sundays compared with weekdays, for both men and women. Conclusion: A logistically achievable 8 days of dietary intake interviews was sufficient to minimize the effect of random error when using the multiple-pass, 24-h recall dietary intake method. Sunday should be included among the dietary interview days to ensure a 'true' representation of macronutrient intakes. This method can be confidently applied to small cohort studies in which dietary intakes from different groups are to be compared or to investigations of associations between nutrient intakes and disease.

Dietary determinant of severe acute malnutrition among infants: Evidence from a case controlled study at a Central Indian district

“…26 Variables: A questionnaire was used to collect data on all aspects of breastfeeding (frequency, duration, pre-lacteal feeding) and complementary feeding (age of starting, frequency, the variety of foods, mode of feeding). Minimum dietary diversity was defined as the proportion of children who were fed foods from 4 or more food items out of the seven major foods items within 24 hours preceding the survey.…”

Comparing dietary determinants of serum vitamin D status among African-Americans and Caucasians

“…Third, existing evidence relating dietary intake to vitamin D status is often limited due to imprecise dietary assessment methods, such as single 24-hr recall or Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) [21][22][23][24][25]. Single 24-hr dietary recalls cannot account for intra-individual dietary variations that occur over time.…”

Characterizing Dietary Intake and Physical Activity Affecting Weight Gain in Kidney Transplant Recipients

“…A list of commonly forgotten items such as candy, cookies, chips and drinks can also assist participants to more accurately recall intake. 81,85 Underreporting, another source of error of 24-hour recall of dietary intake, can occur but may be reduced if participants are thoroughly briefed on the process of the 24-hour dietary recall method. The use of a multiple-pass system allowing the interviewer to use a hierarchical system while gathering more detail with each pass lessens underreporting when gathering dietary intake data.…”

“…The multiple-pass approach, along with multiple days, help to lessen this degree of error when gathering dietary intake data. 85 Another key aspect of gathering accurate dietary intake is the interviewer's emphasis on the importance of the participant's assistance to the research. It is necessary for the interviewer to stress the value of their contribution to the research study.…”

“…81 Multiple-passes also allow the interviewer to obtain more detailed descriptions of foods, lessening inadequate description of foods as another source of possible error. 85 The day-to-day variation in dietary intake in participants is a source of random error, which is a part of dietary intake measurements. The multiple-pass approach, along with multiple days, help to lessen this degree of error when gathering dietary intake data.…”