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Assessment of habitual meal pattern and intake of foods, energy and nutrients in Swedish adolescent girls: comparison of diet history with 7-day record

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 1181–1189 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To compare the diet history (DH) method to an estimated 7-day record (7-d) concerning meal pattern and intake of foods, energy and nutrients.

Design: After the DH interview, subjects completed the 7-d.

Setting: School setting, Göteborg, Sweden.

Subjects: A total of 51 adolescent girls (15–16 y) recruited from 634 girls participating in The Göteborg Adolescence Study.

Results: Two-thirds of the girls had identical or similar main meal pattern, while the number of in-between meals was higher using DH (P<0.001). Breakfast was the meal that agreed best and dinner during weekends. Energy intake (EI) was 8% higher in DH compared to 7-d (P=0.056). The ratio EI to basal metabolic rate was 1.35 (1.14, 1.65) using DH and 1.26 (1.08, 1.52) using 7-d, indicating under-reporting in both methods. Intake of vegetables, juice, sweets, soft-drinks and jam did not differ between the methods, but for the rest of the intake DH estimates were higher (P<0.05). The calculated nutrient intake was higher by DH, with exception of fat and sucrose. For the main food groups, energy and nutrients, except alcohol, ranking was similar between the methods. Adjusted for EI (10 MJ), intake of fat and sucrose were lower and protein, calcium and fibre were higher by DH (P<0.01). EI did not differ for lunch and dinner, but was higher in breakfast and in-between meals using DH. Intake of foods and nutrients in lunches and meat and fish for lunch and dinner did not differ.

Conclusions: The diet history seems to work well as a reference method for dietary assessments in this age group.

Sponsorship: The Swedish Medical Research Council (project B94-19X-04721-19A), the Swedish Mill Industry, The Wilhelm and Martina Lundgren Foundation and The Swedish Nutrition Foundation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the dieticians Ewa Silander and Gabriele Eiben for performing the dietary assessments.

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  1. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden

    A Sjöberg & L Hulthén

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  1. A Sjöberg
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Contributions

Guarantor: L Hulthén.

Contributors: Both investigators designed the study, interpreted results and wrote the paper. L Hulthén was responsible for the running of The Göteborg Adolescence Study and A Sjöberg was responsible for the dietary data and statistical analysis.

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Correspondence to A Sjöberg.

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Sjöberg, A., Hulthén, L. Assessment of habitual meal pattern and intake of foods, energy and nutrients in Swedish adolescent girls: comparison of diet history with 7-day record. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 1181–1189 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601947

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