Abstract
The purpose of this study was to validate estimated energy intake from a web-based food recall, designed for children and adolescents. We directly compared energy intake to estimates of total energy expenditure, calculated from accelerometer outputs, combined with data on weight and sex or resting energy expenditure prediction equations. Children (8–9 years) and adolescents (12–14 years) were recruited through schools in Norway in 2013 (N = 253). Results showed that more than one third (36–37%) were identified as under-reporters of energy. In contrast, only 2–4% were defined as over-reporters of energy. The mean energy intake was under-reported with -1.83 MJ/day for the entire study sample. Increased underestimation was observed for overweight and obese participants, the oldest age group (12–14 years), boys, those with parents/legal guardians with low educational level and those living in non-traditional families. In conclusion, energy intake from the web-based food recall is significantly underestimated compared with total energy expenditure, and should be used with caution in young people.
Highlights
A healthy diet and normal body weight are key factors for preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are the leading causes of deaths worldwide [1]
They had a mean energy intake (EI) of 6.85 MJ/day, and the mean total energy expenditure (TEE) was 8.67 MJ/day
More than one third of all participants (36–37%) were identified as under-reporters (UR) in this study, when comparing estimated EI from a web-based food recall (WebFR) to TEE calculated from objective accelerometer counts, combined with data on weight, sex or resting energy expenditure (REE)
Summary
A healthy diet and normal body weight are key factors for preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are the leading causes of deaths worldwide [1]. It takes time for NCDs to develop [2], and it is recognized that risk factors present in childhood may increase the risk of developing NCDs in adulthood [3]. Information regarding dietary exposure and energy intake in the first parts of humans’ lives is of large interest in a public health perspective. Dietary self-report methods such as food records, recalls and food frequency questionnaires have been widely used to assess total dietary or energy intake in children and adolescents [4], despite being prone to reporting bias [5].
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