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Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Concept Development and Use of an Automated Food Intake and Eating Behavior Assessment Method
Published on: February 19, 2021
Development and Validation of a Technology-Based System for Tracking and Reporting Dietary Intake at School Meals
Bradley M Appelhans1, Molly A Martin2, Marieli Guzman3
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL; Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL.
Objective:
This report describes the development and validation of a technology-based system that integrates data on food choice, nutrition, and plate waste to generate feedback reports summarizing students' dietary intake at school meals.
Methods:
Cafeteria staff used the system to document the school lunch choices of seventh-graders (n = 37) in an urban charter school for 5 months. Plate waste was assessed by research staff using a visual estimation method that was validated against directly weighed plate waste.
Results:
Most food choices (97.1%) were correctly recorded through the system. Visual estimates of plate waste had excellent interrater reliability (r's ≥ .94) and agreement with direct measurements (ρ's ≥ .75). Plate waste assessment required approximately 10 s/tray. Fifty-four percent of parents received feedback reports consistently.
Conclusions And Implications:
The technology-based system enabled staff to monitor dietary intake accurately at school meals. The system could potentially inform lunch menu modifications aimed at reducing plate waste.
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Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
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Dietary Connections
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