Abstract
Citation
Trolle E, Amiano P, Ege M, Bower E, Lioret S, Brants H, Kaic-Rak A, de Boer EJ, Andersen LF, EFCOVAL Consortium. Feasibility of 2 × 24-h dietary recalls combined with a food-recording booklet, using EPIC-Soft, among schoolchildren. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011 Jul;65 Suppl 1:S65-76.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the suggested trans-European methodology for undertaking representative dietary surveys among schoolchildren: 2 × 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRs) combined with a food-recording booklet, using EPIC-Soft (the software developed to conduct 24-HDRs in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study) pc-program. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 75 children aged 7-8 years and 70 children aged 12-13 years old were recruited through the Civil Registration System in Denmark, and 57 children aged 7-8 years and 47 children aged 12-13 years were recruited through schools in Spain. Each child with one parent completed two face-to-face 24-HDRs, combined with optional use of a food-recording booklet (FRB) to be filled in by the child, a parent or other proxy persons for preparing the recalls. Feasibility was evaluated by questionnaires completed by parents, children and interviewers, and by selected data from the 24-HDRs. RESULTS: The face-to-face interviews with the child and a parent together are confirmed as feasible. The children participated actively in the interviews, the oldest children being most active. The children, parents and interviewers agreed that children needed help from the parents, and that parents were of help to the child. In both countries, other proxy persons, such as teachers or the school cafeteria staff, were involved before the interview, and the majority of the parents and children reported that the FRB had been a help for the child during the interview. Further results point at specific needed improvements of the tools. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluated method is shown feasible in two culturally diverse European populations. However, the feasibility study also points to specific improvements of tools and data collection protocol that are strongly recommended before implementation of the method in each country of a pan-European dietary survey.
Full Text
The full text is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2011.89
At A Glance
Individual Dietary Behavior Variables
| Intake |
|---|
| Total Energy/Energy Density |
| Food Groups |
| Macronutrients, including Saturated Fat |
| Cooking method and recipe ingredients |
| Behavior |
|---|
| Meal/Snack Patterns |
Domain(s)
Individual Dietary Behavior
Measure Type
24-hour dietary recall
Measure Availability
Not reported
Number of Items
Not applicable
Study location
Metro/Urban, Small Town/Rural
Basque Country, northern region, Spain, Denmark
Languages
Spanish
Basque, Danish
Information about Development of Measure
EPIC-Soft software was developed to conduct 24-hour dietary recalls in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study.
Study Design
Study Participants
Age
6 - 11 Years
12 - 18 Years
Sex
Female
Male
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic
White
Predominantly Low-income/Low-SES
No
Sample Size
255
Study Design
Design Type
Instrument/Method Development Without Validation/Reliability
Feasibility study
Health Outcomes Assessed
None
Obesity Measures
Not reported
BMI Measured or Self-reported
Measured height
Measured weight
Covariates
Not reported
Data Reported on Race/Ethnicity
Quantitative data on study sample
Data Reported on SES
Quantitative data on study sample
SES-related Variables
Education
How To Use
Administration
Who Administered
Researcher-administered
How Administered
Phone
In-person
Time Required
Not Reported
Training Required
Yes, time reported: 7 days
Instructions on Use
Not reported
Data Analysis
Data Collection/Analysis Costs
Not available
Data Collection/Protocol
All children and parents were first contacted by phone to to provide study instructions. The 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted with the child and one of the parents during two visits at the child's home. The 24-hour dietary recalls were of two non-consecutive days and were based on face-to-face computer-assisted interviews using EPIC-Soft, with 4 to 6 weeks between the two interview days. The families were also provided with a small food record booklet for the children to bring to school, in order to record intake either by themselves or by proxy persons. The feasibility of these dietary instruments was measured by evaluation questionnaires completed by children, parents, and interviewers.
Instructions on Data Analysis
Instructions on analysis included in article
Validity (0)
There are no validity tests reported for this measure.
Reliability (0)
There are no reliability tests reported for this measure.