Adapting a US dietary analysis software and nutrient database for use in Brazil

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Assessment
• Public Health Surveillance

Background:

• Assessing food and nutrient intake is challenging globally due to limited country-specific databases and software.
• Lack of standardized tools hinders research and surveillance efforts in many nations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the adaptation of the US-based Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) software and database for the Brazil Kids Nutrition and Health Study (KNHS).
• To overcome challenges in analyzing dietary data from Brazil using a US-developed tool.

Main Methods:

• Assembled an expert team with knowledge of both Brazilian and US food cultures.
• Utilized the Brazilian Food Composition Table (TBCA) and a list of common Brazilian foods.
• Developed data entry rules, User Recipes for unlisted foods, and adjusted for fortification differences within NDSR.

Main Results:

• Successfully adapted the NDSR software and nutrient database for analyzing Brazilian dietary data.
• Demonstrated a structured approach to overcome country-specific dietary differences.

Conclusions:

• The NDSR software is adaptable for dietary analysis in countries outside the United States.
• This adaptation facilitates more accurate food and nutrient intake assessments in international research and surveillance.