ABSTRACT

This chapter describes traditional methods for self-reported dietary intake assessment, considers benefits and limitations, and focuses on key issues in evaluating traditional dietary intake assessment methods. Self-Reported Methods include food records, 24-hour dietary recall (24HR), dietary history, and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). A food record consists of a diary, in which participants record the type and amount of food and beverages consumed during a particular number of days, usually four to seven days. Day-to-day variability in food consumed means that several days of records are needed to establish habitual intake. The major benefit of the diet history method is its evaluation of meal patterns and details of food intake rather than intakes for a short period of time, or for identifying the frequency of food consumption. The food frequency method interrogates respondents about their usual frequency of consumption of each food from a list of foods for a definite period, and therefore aims to obtain habitual intake.