Reliability of food intake records utilizing two-dimensional models

The relationship between dietary intake and its effects on growth, development, health and disease has long been fundamental to the study of nutrition. Researchers recognize that there is a link between diet and diseases such as atherosclerotic heart disease, cancer of certain types, and obesity. Because of these relationships it is important for researchers/practitioners to know as precisely as possible the kinds and amounts of food eaten by individuals and populations. Accurate portion estimation is also important to individuals on quantitative diets such as diabetic, renal or weight reduction diets.

Food consumption data have been collected for a variety of nutritional, medical and economic purposes. The self-report has been used frequently in collecting food intake data. One problem perplexing researchers/practitioners has been that of verifying what persons actually eat with what they report they eat. Professionals continue to be challenged with obtaining reliable, accurate information on food intake. To date there has been no single best method for obtaining dietary data. The method used depends on the purpose of the study, the sample size, the availability of funds and personnel, and the educational level of the subjects (Pekkarinen, 1970).