Validation of photograph series as a portion size measurement aid in dietary assessment in children

Abstract

Determining children' s food consumption is challenging and requires dietetic methods that provide adequate specificity for describing, but also for quantifying food intake. To help survey respondents indicate food portion sizes, photograph series can be used, but these must be validated in a nationally representative sample of the population. The aim of the present study was to validate photograph series as a portion size measurement aid during dietary assessment of children in Croatia. This study involved 28 mothers of children aged 3 months to 10 years, who were asked to select one of four photographs in a series that best represented the quantity of food served to them. Of the 21 series tested, 17 were found to be appropriate for assessing food portion sizes. Participants were worst at assessing portion sizes of banana (29.3%), porridge (22.8%), hot dogs (20,3%) and plain yoghurt (19.1%). Further studies are needed to determine why these foods are poorly recognized so that photographs can be modified accordingly and validated.

Croatian national food consumption survey on adolescents and adults from 10 to 99 years of age

“…15x3-item picture sets from the country specific book with models of food items and dishes Kvantitativni modeli namirnica i obroka (Senta et al, 2004) were used for portion size estimations. For portion sizes not included in the country specific book with models of food items and dishes, the PANCAKE picture book (Trolle et al, 2013) and national picture book for children (Rumbak et al, 2019) was used. Despite featuring quantities suitable for children, the validation process of picture book involved adults, particularly parents, what ensured reliability when used on an adult population.…”

Croatian national food consumption survey on children from 3 months to 9 years of age

“…Portion size determination was carried out using picture book (Figure 3), standard food portions and household measures. 21x4-item photographic picture book was validated among mothers of children aged 3 months to 10 years of age for this survey (Rumbak et al, 2019). Picture book was validated according to Example of a protocol for validation of a food picture book based on the PILOT-PANEU project (EFSA, 2014).…”