Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research

Dietary indices evaluate diet quality, usually based on current dietary guidelines. Indices can therefore contribute to our understanding of early-life obesity-risk dietary behaviours. Yet indices are commonly applied to dietary data collected by onerous methods (e.g., recalls or records). Short die...

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Main Authors: Lucinda K. Bell, Rebecca K. Golley, Anthea M. Magarey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:Journal of Obesity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/709626
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author Lucinda K. Bell
Rebecca K. Golley
Anthea M. Magarey
author_facet Lucinda K. Bell
Rebecca K. Golley
Anthea M. Magarey
author_sort Lucinda K. Bell
collection DOAJ
description Dietary indices evaluate diet quality, usually based on current dietary guidelines. Indices can therefore contribute to our understanding of early-life obesity-risk dietary behaviours. Yet indices are commonly applied to dietary data collected by onerous methods (e.g., recalls or records). Short dietary assessment instruments are an attractive alternative to collect data from which to derive an index score. A systematic review of studies published before April 2013 was conducted to identify short (≤50 items) tools that measure whole-of-diet intake of young children (birth-five years) and are applicable to dietary indices, in particular screening obesogenic dietary behaviours. The search identified 3686 papers of which 16, reporting on 15 tools (n=7, infants and toddlers birth-24 months; n=8, preschoolers 2–5 years), met the inclusion criteria. Most tools were food frequency questionnaires (n=14), with one innovative dietary questionnaire identified. Seven were tested for validity or reliability, and one was tested for both. Six tools (n=2, infants and toddlers; n=4, preschoolers) are applicable for use with current dietary indices, five of which screen obesogenic dietary behaviours. Given the limited number of brief, valid and reliable dietary assessment tools for young children to which an index can be applied, future short tool development is warranted, particularly for screening obesogenic dietary behaviours.
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spelling doaj-art-0161ead7fd87455e9ef99a0143b063fe2025-08-20T02:03:24ZengWileyJournal of Obesity2090-07082090-07162013-01-01201310.1155/2013/709626709626Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index ResearchLucinda K. Bell0Rebecca K. Golley1Anthea M. Magarey2Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, AustraliaPublic Health Group, Sansom Institute of Health Research, University of South Australia, 5000, AustraliaDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, AustraliaDietary indices evaluate diet quality, usually based on current dietary guidelines. Indices can therefore contribute to our understanding of early-life obesity-risk dietary behaviours. Yet indices are commonly applied to dietary data collected by onerous methods (e.g., recalls or records). Short dietary assessment instruments are an attractive alternative to collect data from which to derive an index score. A systematic review of studies published before April 2013 was conducted to identify short (≤50 items) tools that measure whole-of-diet intake of young children (birth-five years) and are applicable to dietary indices, in particular screening obesogenic dietary behaviours. The search identified 3686 papers of which 16, reporting on 15 tools (n=7, infants and toddlers birth-24 months; n=8, preschoolers 2–5 years), met the inclusion criteria. Most tools were food frequency questionnaires (n=14), with one innovative dietary questionnaire identified. Seven were tested for validity or reliability, and one was tested for both. Six tools (n=2, infants and toddlers; n=4, preschoolers) are applicable for use with current dietary indices, five of which screen obesogenic dietary behaviours. Given the limited number of brief, valid and reliable dietary assessment tools for young children to which an index can be applied, future short tool development is warranted, particularly for screening obesogenic dietary behaviours.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/709626
spellingShingle Lucinda K. Bell
Rebecca K. Golley
Anthea M. Magarey
Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research
Journal of Obesity
title Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research
title_full Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research
title_fullStr Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research
title_full_unstemmed Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research
title_short Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research
title_sort short tools to assess young children s dietary intake a systematic review focusing on application to dietary index research
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/709626
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