Study Protocol for the Feasibility and Acceptability of Remote Food Photography Method (RFPM) to Document Dietary Intake Among Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

Abstract

Abstract Objectives There is a high prevalence of neurogenic obesity among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) with percentages reaching 97% when using body fat percentage cutoff of 22% for men and 35% for women. Accurately measuring energy intake in individuals with SCI is crucial to assess if they are exceeding caloric needs, which can further contribute to obesity. Currently, the pen/paper food record is commonly used to track dietary intake in both the able-bodied (AB) and persons with SCI; however this method is known to be burdensome and to under-report true dietary intake by up to 37% in AB persons. The remote food photography method (RFPM) is a reliable and validated method to accurately measure dietary intake by taking pictures of food and beverages before and after consumption. This method of tracking dietary intake has been validated in individuals without SCI, but not in persons with SCI. Persons with SCI may benefit from a convenient method to track dietary intake due to SCI-specific challenges, such as difficulty writing. The objective of this study protocol is to assess feasibility and acceptability of RFPM in individuals with chronic SCI. Methods 20 participants with SCI (10 with paraplegia and 10 with tetraplegia) will be recruited. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and have chronic SCI (at least 1-year post-injury). Participants will track their dietary intake for a total of two weeks (2 weekdays and 1 weekend for each week) by using RFPM for one week and the traditional pen/paper method for another week. Participants will be randomly assigned to track their intake using either method (RFPM or pen/paper food record) the first week and then cross-over to using the remaining method the second week. Photos of dietary intake will be sent electronically (i.e., smartphone, tablet, etc.). A registered dietitian will review dietary entries for completeness per week with each participant. Feasibility of the RFPM of tracking dietary intake in individuals with SCI will be measured by the number of entries that are documented using RFPM compared to dietary intake as reported by the participant at the end of the week. Acceptability of the RFPM will be assessed by a short survey at the end of the study examining the acceptance of the RFPM for capturing and tracking dietary intake. Results N/A - Protocol Abstract Conclusions N/A - Protocol Abstract Funding Sources N/A.