Measuring dietary intake in nursing research

Abstract

Accurately assessing dietary intake is an essential component of international health research to identify nutritional deviations that may place people at risk for developing chronic diseases. Accurate assessment may be hampered by failure to address known measurement problems with traditional dietary assessment tools. This article describes the application and advantages and disadvantages of 5 frequently used dietary assessment methods, discusses the management of measurement error common to each, and recommends use of these methods in community-based health research. Using complementary assessment methods at multiple measurement points enhances the reliability of the findings. Assessing overall dietary quality is consistent with a holistic approach to interventions designed to improve health and is a valuable methodology for nutritional research. Using innovative approaches may more accurately identify dietary patterns that contribute to disease development. Although complex, examining nutritional intake in health research is essential to determining an individual's disease risk status and response to treatment.