ARS | Publication request: HOW MUCH WE EAT IN AMERICA--EXPERIENCES ESTIMATING FOOD INTAKE

Submitted to: American Dietetic Association Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 21, 2006
Publication Date: November 1, 2006
Citation: Ingwersen, L. 2006. How much we eat in America -- experiences estimating food intake [session 211]. ADA 2006 Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo. CD-ROM Day 3. Available: http://www.softconference.com/260916.

Technical Abstract: Recalling all foods eaten the previous day and the amounts consumed are primary tasks asked of those providing 24-hr dietary recalls. The types and quantities of foods eaten are of interest because of possible relationships between diet and health issues, such as obesity. The importance of recalling detailed information about food led the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a 5-step Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM) to help obtain a complete list of foods eaten, as well as a Food Model Booklet of 2-dimensional drawings to help participants estimate food quantities. The multiple pass method incorporates recall strategies, memory cues, a list of frequently forgotten foods, and probes within the recall to stimulate recollection of all foods consumed. And, because the foods we eat come in a vast array of sizes, the two-dimensional drawings provide a variety of shapes and volumes designed to assist estimations of food amounts. These guides include life-size representations of glasses, mugs, bowls, and mounds as well as some geometrical shapes. Both the AMPM and the food model guides are used for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the Canadian Community Health Survey 2004 and other research studies.