Validation of energy intake measurements determined from observer-recorded food records and recall methods compared with the doubly labeled water method in overweight and obese individuals

Abstract

Background: Measurements of dietary intake in obese and overweight populations are often inaccurate because food intakes are underestimated.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of the combined use of observer-recorded weighed-food records and 24-h snack recalls in estimating energy intakes in overweight and obese individuals.

Design: Subjects were 32 healthy women and 22 healthy men with mean body mass indexes (in kg/m(2)) of 29.5 and 30.3, respectively. Energy intake (EI) was measured over 2 wk in a university cafeteria. No restrictions were made on meal frequency or EI. To document food consumed outside the cafeteria, 24-h snack recalls were conducted before meals. Energy expenditure (EE) was measured with the doubly labeled water (DLW) method (EE(DLW)). Energy balance was determined by measuring body weight at the beginning and end of the 2-wk period.

Results: The mean EI in the women (10.40 +/- 1.94 MJ/d) and men (14.37 +/- 3.21 MJ/d) was not significantly lower than the EE(DLW) in the women (10.86 +/- 1.76 MJ/d) and men (14.14 +/- 2.83 MJ/d). The mean EI represented 96.9 +/- 17.0% and 103 +/- 18.9% of the measured EE for women and men, respectively. There were no significant changes in weight in the group as a whole or by sex at the end of the testing period; the men lost 0.23 +/- 1.58 kg and the women lost 0.25 +/- 1.09 kg.

Conclusion: The combination of observer-recorded food records and 24-h snack recalls is a valid method for measuring EI in overweight and obese individuals.