Comparison of estimated energy intake using Web-based Dietary Assessment Software with accelerometer-determined energy expenditure in children

  • Anja Biltoft-Jensen National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
  • Mads F. Hjorth Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen
  • Ellen Trolle National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
  • Tue Christensen National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
  • Per B. Brockhoff Technical University of Denmark
  • Lene F. Andersen Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo
  • Inge Tetens National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
  • Jeppe Matthiessen National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
Keywords: children, reporting accuracy, under-reporting, over-reporting, food diary

Abstract

Background: The OPUS (Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy New Nordic Diet) project carried out a school meal study to assess the impact of a New Nordic Diet (NND). The random controlled trial involved 834 children aged 811 in nine local authority schools in Denmark. Dietary assessment was carried out using a program known as WebDASC (Web-based Dietary Assessment Software for Children) to collect data from the children.

Objective: To compare the energy intake (EI) of schoolchildren aged 811 estimated using the WebDASC system against the total energy expenditure (TEE) as derived from accelerometers worn by the children during the same period. A second objective was to evaluate the WebDASC’s usability.

Design: Eighty-one schoolchildren took part in what was the pilot study for the OPUS project, and they recorded their total diet using WebDASC and wore an accelerometer for two periods of seven consecutive days: at baseline, when they ate their usual packed lunches and at intervention when they were served the NND. EI was estimated using WebDASC, and TEE was calculated from accelerometer-derived activity energy expenditure, basal metabolic rate, and diet-induced thermogenesis. WebDASC’s usability was assessed using a questionnaire. Parents could help their children record their diet and answer the questionnaire.

Results: Evaluated against TEE as derived from the accelerometers worn at the same time, the WebDASC performed just as well as other traditional methods of collecting dietary data and proved both effective and acceptable with children aged 811, even with perhaps less familiar foods of the NND.

Conclusions: WebDASC is a useful method that provided a reasonably accurate measure of EI at group level when compared to TEE derived from accelerometer-determined physical activity in children. WebDASC will benefit future research in this area.

Keywords: children; reporting accuracy; under-reporting; over-reporting; food diary

(Published: 17 December 2013)

Citation: Food & Nutrition Research 2013. 57: 21434 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v57i0.21434

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Author Biographies

Anja Biltoft-Jensen, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
Department of Nutrition
Mads F. Hjorth, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen
Department of Human Nutrition
Ellen Trolle, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
Department of Nutrition
Tue Christensen, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
Department of Nutrition
Per B. Brockhoff, Technical University of Denmark
Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science
Lene F. Andersen, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo
Department of Nutrition
Inge Tetens, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
Department of Nutrition
Jeppe Matthiessen, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark
Department of Nutrition
Published
2013-12-17
How to Cite
Biltoft-Jensen A., Hjorth M. F., Trolle E., Christensen T., Brockhoff P. B., Andersen L. F., Tetens I., & Matthiessen J. (2013). Comparison of estimated energy intake using Web-based Dietary Assessment Software with accelerometer-determined energy expenditure in children. Food & Nutrition Research. https://doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v57i0.21434
Section
Original Articles

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