Comparison of dietary intake methods with young children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Dietary Assessment Methods

Background:

• Accurate dietary intake assessment is crucial for understanding preschool children's nutritional status.
• Existing methods like food frequency questionnaires and 24-hour recalls have varying levels of accuracy and practicality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the validity of 24-hour dietary recalls versus the Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire for assessing preschool children's food intake.
• To determine the most reliable method for obtaining dietary intake data in preschool children, considering different care settings.

Main Methods:

• A three-day food intake measurement was conducted for 17 preschool children (daycare and home care).
• Dietary data were collected via 24-hour recalls from caregivers and daycare staff.
• The Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire was administered post-measurement to assess intake over the preceding seven days.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found between measured intake and recalled intake overall.
• Significant differences emerged in recalled intake for energy and saturated fat based on gender and care status, unlike measured intake.
• The Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire did not accurately assess measured intake and could not replace dietary recall.

Conclusions:

• Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls appear more reliable than the Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire for assessing preschool children's dietary intake.
• Caregivers and daycare staff recall provides a more accurate assessment of children's intake compared to food frequency questionnaires.