Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Development and evaluation of a self-administered computerized 24-h dietary recall method for adolescents in Europe

International Journal of Obesity volume 32, pages S26–S34 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To describe the development of a European computerized 24-h dietary recall method for adolescents, and to investigate the feasibility of self-administration (self report) by comparison with administration by a dietician (interview).

Methods:

Two hundred and thirty-six adolescents (mean age 14.6 years (s.d.=1.7)) of eight European cities completed the 24-h recall (Young Adolescents Nutrition Assessment on Computer (YANA-C)) twice (once by self-report and once by interview).

Results:

A small but significant underestimate in energy (61 (s.e.=31) kcal) and fat (4.2 (s.e.=1.7) g) intake was found in the self-reports in comparison with the interviews; no significant differences were found for the intake of carbohydrates, proteins, fibre, calcium, iron and ascorbic acid. Spearman's correlations were highly significant for all nutrients and energy ranging between 0.86 and 0.91. Agreement in categorizing the respondents as consumers and non-consumers for the 29 food groups was high (kappa statistics ⩾0.73). Percentage omissions were on average 3.7%; percentage intrusions: 2.0%. Spearman's correlations between both modes were high for all food groups, for the total sample (⩾0.76) as well as for the consumers only (⩾0.72). Analysing the consumer only, on an average 54% of the consumed amounts were exactly the same; nevertheless, only for one group ‘rice and pasta’ a significant difference in consumption was found.

Conclusion:

Adaptation, translation and standardization of YANA-C make it possible to assess the dietary intake of adolescents in a broad international context. In general, good agreement between the administration modes was found, the latter offering significant potential for large-scale surveys where the amount of resources to gather data is limited.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Parizkova J . Dietary habits and nutritional status in adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe. Eur J Clin Nutr 2000; 54 (Suppl 1): S36–S40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Rolland-Cachera MF, Bellisle F, Deheeger M . Nutritional status and food intake in adolescents living in Western Europe. Eur J Clin Nutr 2000; 54 (Suppl 1): S41–S46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cruz JA . Dietary habits and nutritional status in adolescents over Europe—Southern Europe. Eur J Clin Nutr 2000; 54 (Suppl 1): S29–S35.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Samuelson G . Dietary habits and nutritional status in adolescents over Europe. An overview of current studies in the Nordic countries. Eur J Clin Nutr 2000; 54 (Suppl 1): S21–S28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Verger P, Ireland J, Moller A, Abravicius JA, De Henauw S, Naska A . Improvement of comparability of dietary intake assessment using currently available individual food consumption surveys. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002; 56 (Suppl 2): S18–S24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Koletzko B, de la Guéronnière V, Toschke AM, von Kries R . Nutrition in children and adolescents in Europe: what is the scientific basis? Introduction. Br J Nutr 2004; 92 (Suppl 2): S67–S73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Biro G, Hulshof KF, Ovesen L, Amorim Cruz JA . Selection of methodology to assess food intake. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002; 56 (Suppl 2): S25–S32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Rockett HR, Berkey CS, Colditz GA . Evaluation of dietary assessment instruments in adolescents. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2003; 6: 557–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Livingstone MB, Robson PJ . Measurement of dietary intake in children. Proc Nutr Soc 2000; 59: 279–293.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Baranowski T, Islam N, Baranowski J, Cullen KW, Myres D, Marsh T et al. The food intake recording software system is valid among fourth-grade children. J Am Diet Assoc 2002; 102: 380–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Moore L, Tapper K, Dennehy A, Cooper A . Development and testing of a computerised 24-h recall questionnaire measuring fruit and snack consumption among 9–11 year olds. Eur J Clin Nutr 2005; 59: 809–816.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Vereecken CA, Covents M, Matthys C, Maes L . Young adolescents’ nutrition assessment on computer (YANA-C). Eur J Clin Nutr 2005; 59: 658–667.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kersting M, Sichert-Hellert W, Vereecken CA, Diehl J, Beghin L, De Henauw S et al. Food and nutrient intake, nutritional knowledge and diet-related attitudes in European adolescents. Int J Obes 2008; 32 (Suppl 5): S35–S41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Nubel. Belgian Food Composition Table. Ministry of Public Health: Brussels, 2004.

  15. NEVO. Dutch Food Composition Table. Stichting NEVO: Den Haag, 2001.

  16. Dehne LI, Klemm C, Henseler G, Hermann-Kunz E . The German food code and nutrient data base (BLS II.2). Eur J Epidemiol 1999; 15: 355–359.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Carnovale E, Marletta L . Food Composition Tables—Updating 2000 (internal update 2007). National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition (INRAN): Rome, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  18. SLV (National Food Administration), The food database (ver 04.1.1) National Food Administration, Uppsala, 2007.

  19. Farrán A, Zamora R, Cervera P . Tablas de Composicion de Alimentos del CESNID. McGraw-Hill/Iteramericana de Espana, S.A.U.: Centre d’Ensenyament Superior de Nutrició i Dietètica (CESNID), Edicions Universitat de Barcelona, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Trichopoulou A . Composition Tables of Foods and Greek Dishes. School of Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology: Athens, Greece, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  21. University of Crete. Food Composition Tables. Available at nutrition.med.uoc.gr/GreekTables 1991.

  22. Ireland J, Erp-Baart AM, Charrondiere UR, Moller A, Smithers G, Trichopoulou A . Selection of a food classification system and a food composition database for future food consumption surveys. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002; 56 (Suppl 2): S33–S45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Bland JM, Altman DG . Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet 1986; 1: 307–310.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kramer MS, Feinstein AR . Clinical biostatistics. LIV. The biostatistics of concordance [published erratum appears in Clin Pharmacol Ther 1989; 46(3): 309]. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1981; 29: 111–123.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Probst YC, Tapsell LC . Overview of computerized dietary assessment programs for research and practice in nutrition education. J Nutr Educ Behav 2005; 37: 20–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Brener ND, Billy JO, Grady WR . Assessment of factors affecting the validity of self-reported health-risk behavior among adolescents: evidence from the scientific literature. J Adolesc Health 2003; 33: 436–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Baxter SD, Thompson WO, Davis HC, Johnson MH . Impact of gender, ethnicity, meal component, and time interval between eating and reporting on accuracy of fourth-graders′ self-reports of school lunch. J Am Diet Assoc 1997; 97: 1293–1298.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Baxter SD . Accuracy of fourth-graders’ dietary recalls of school breakfast and school lunch validated with observations: in-person versus telephone interviews. J Nutr Educ Behav 2003; 35: 124–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Baxter SD, Thompson WO, litaker MS, Frye FH, Guinn CH . Low accuracy and low consistency of fourth-graders’ school breakfast and school lunch recalls. J Am Diet Assoc 2002; 102: 386–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Baxter SD, Smith AF, litaker MS, Guinn CH, Shaffer NM, Baglio ML et al. Recency affects reporting accuracy of children's dietary recalls. Ann Epidemiol 2004; 14: 385–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Weber JL, Lytle L, Gittelsohn J, Cunningham-Sabo L, Heller K, Anliker JA et al. Validity of self-reported dietary intake at school meals by American Indian children: the Pathways Study. J Am Diet Assoc 2004; 104: 746–752.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Domel SB, Baranowski T, Davis H, Leonard SB, Riley P, Baranowski J . Fruit and vegetable food frequencies by fourth and fifth grade students: validity and reliability. J Am Coll Nutrition 1994; 13: 33–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Moore GF, Tapper K, Murphy S, Clark R, Lynch R, Moore L . Validation of a self-completion measure of breakfast foods, snacks and fruits and vegetables consumed by 9- to 11-year-old schoolchildren. Eur J Clin Nutr 2007; 61: 420–430.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The HELENA Study was carried out with the financial support of the European Community Sixth RTD Framework Programme (Contract FOOD-CT-2005-007034). The content of this article reflects only the authors’ views, and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Carine Vereecken is postdoctoral researcher funded by the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO). T De Vriendt is a trainee supported by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). The researchers from the University of Zaragoza, Spain (LAM) are complementarily supported by FUNDACIÓN MAPFRE (Spain).

Author information

Author notes

  1. C A Vereecken, M Covents, W Sichert-Hellert, J M F Alvira, C Le Donne, S De Henauw, T De Vriendt, M K Phillipp, L Béghin, Y Manios, L Hallström, E Poortvliet, C Matthys, M Plada, E Nagy and L A Moreno: See Appendix at the end of the supplement on page S82.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    C A Vereecken, S De Henauw, T De Vriendt & C Matthys

  2. Private consultant,

    M Covents

  3. Forschungsinstitut für Kinderernährung, Institut an der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn, Dortmund, Germany

    W Sichert-Hellert

  4. Escuela Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

    J M F Alvira & L A Moreno

  5. INRAN - Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la Nutrizione (National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition) Research Group Food Safety-Exposure Análisis Via Ardeatina, Rome, Italy

    C Le Donne

  6. Medizinische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria

    M K Phillipp

  7. Centre d’Investigation Clinique, Hôpital Cardiologique, CHRU de Lille, Lille, France

    L Béghin

  8. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

    Y Manios

  9. Department of Biosciences, Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden

    L Hallström & E Poortvliet

  10. Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Nutrition Clinic, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    M Plada

  11. Department of Paediatrics, Medical Faculty, Pécs, Hungary

    E Nagy

Authors
  1. C A Vereecken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M Covents
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W Sichert-Hellert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J M F Alvira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C Le Donne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S De Henauw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. T De Vriendt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. M K Phillipp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. L Béghin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Y Manios
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. L Hallström
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. E Poortvliet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. C Matthys
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. M Plada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. E Nagy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. L A Moreno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Consortia

on behalf of the HELENA Study Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C A Vereecken.

Additional information

Conflict of interest

The authors state no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vereecken, C., Covents, M., Sichert-Hellert, W. et al. Development and evaluation of a self-administered computerized 24-h dietary recall method for adolescents in Europe. Int J Obes 32 (Suppl 5), S26–S34 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.180

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.180

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links