DIETARY

SURVEYS
Basic Nutrition for Filipinos
LESSON
OBJECTIVES
Compare retrospective and prospective
01 methods in dietary assessment;

Assess the impact of dietary assessment on

02 understanding eating habits and diagnosing
nutritional imbalances; and

Explore and compare the accuracy, reliability,

03 and feasibility of various approaches used in
dietary assessment.
WHAT IS
DIETARY ASSESSMENT?

Dietary assessment involves the comprehensive

evaluation or collection of information that
provides valuable insights into an individual’s dietary
intake. It plays an important role in understanding
eating habits, diagnosing nutritional imbalances, and
devising focused treatments for improved health
outcomes by acquiring precise records of habitual
food choices, energy intake, and nutrient
consumption.
 Retrospective approach is based on
recollection and is appropriate for large-
scale investigations or surveys, but they
are subject to memory biases and may not
RETROSPECTIVE capture long-term patterns accurately.
VS
PROSPECTIVE Prospective approach, on the other hand,
requires the collecting of current data on
food consumption in real time. Participants
constantly record their consumption over
a period of days or weeks, offering an
accurate record of food intake.
THERE ARE FOUR (4)
APPROACHES IN DIETARY
ASSESSMENT:

1. 24- Hour Food Recall

2. Food Frequency Questionnaire
3. Food Record
4. Diet History
 24 HOUR
FOOD RECALL
Food recalls, a retrospective approach in
dietary assessment, involve participants
recalling their current or past food intake within
a specific time frame. It is a quick approach and
could be used in different age groups, however,
it relies on memory, motivation, and awareness
of a person.
STRENGTH LIMITATIONS
 Does not require literacy  Dependent on respondent’s memory 
Can be administered Relies on self- reported information 
Requires skilled staff 
relatively quickly
May be difficult if English is a second
Data may be directly language 
entered into a dietary Single recall does not represent
analysis program  usual intake 
May be conducted in Estimating food quantities/ food
ingredients may be difficult
person or over the
especially if patient ate in
telephone
restaurants
APPLICATION
Appropriate for most
people, as it does not
require literacy 
Useful for the assessment
of intake of a variety of
nutrients and assessment
of meal patterning and
food group intake
Useful counseling tool
Examples of 24-hour food
recall
 FOOD FREQUENCY
QUESTIONNARE ?

A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) consists of a

finite list of foods and beverages with response
categories to indicate usual frequency of consumption
over the time period ask. This method allows
researchers to obtain information on an individual’s
food intake over a specific period of time
STRENGTH LIMITATIONS
Easy and affordable  Does not provide valid estimates of
May assess current as well absolute intake of individuals 
Cannot assess meal patterning 
as past diet 
Difficult for teens with limited
In a clinical setting, may be cognitive development 
useful as a screening tool May be time consuming 
to identify inadequate Patient error in filling out
intake of any food group questionnaire 
No way to find out how foods are
so that dietary and
prepared
nutrient deficiencies may
be identified
APPLICATION
Does not provide valid
estimates of absolute
intake for individuals; thus,
of limited usefulness in
ethical settings 
May be useful as a
screening tool to identify
inadequate intake of any
food group to point out
dietary/nutrient
deficiencies
Examples of Food
Frequency Data
 FOOD STRENGTH OF
RECORDS FOOD RECORDS
A food record is used to get an idea Does not rely on memory 
of your typical diet. It provides a Food portions may be measured
more realistic picture of a patient’s at the time of consumptions 
usual intake. All food items, Multiple days of records provide
beverages, snacks, and supplements valid measure of intake for
are recorded by the patient. most nutrients 
Computer can objectively
analyze data obtained oduction
process, from suppliers to
factory workers and
customers.
LIMITATIONS APPLICATION
Recording foods eaten may Appropriate for literate and
influence what is eaten  motivated individuals
Requires literacy  Useful for the assessment of
Relies on self-reported information intake of a variety of nutrients
Requires skilled staff  and assessment of meal
Time consuming; patient error in patterning and food group intake 
entering accurate food quantities  Useful counseling tool
Week-long records may not
accurately represent a patient's
normal eating habits since food
intake will be analyzed.
THE USES OF FOOD RECORDS ACCORDING TO
JAMORABO-RUIZ AND SERRAON-CLAUDIO (2010):

1. Serve to chart food consumption patterns, which can be studied in relation

to economic and educational status, cultural backgrounds, food supplies and
other factors.
2. Provide a basis for more effective programs on nutrition education and
evaluation of the results.
3. Furnish needed information for planning food production programs on a
national and regional basis.
4. Help to identify deficiencies in the diet and give a basis for action to improve
the diet.
5. Contribute to nutritional studies - dietary surveys by no means a direct
measure of nutritional status. They should be part of other methods for
nutritional assessment.
6. In certain illnesses (severe malnutrition or cases of diabetes), food records
are necessary to monitor the dietary progress of the client or patient.
Examples of Food Records
 DIET
HISTORY
Diet History refers to a comprehensive
record of an individual’s dietary habits over a
period of time. It includes information on the
types of food consumed, the frequency of
food consumption, portion sizes, 7 and any
dietary restrictions or preferences (Nao,
2023). This is followed by a cross check to
clarify information about usual intake in the
past 3, 6 or 12 months, depending on the aims
of the assessment
STRENGTH
Able to assess the usual intake in a single interview 
Appropriate for most people 
Evaluates long- term dietary habits

LIMITATIONS
Relies on memory
Requires skilled interviewer 
Works only if a patient can describe a “typical” daily intake, that is difficult
for those who vary food intake greatly 
Patient may not include foods that they know are unhealthy
APPLICATION
Appropriate for most people, as it does not require
literacy
 Useful for the assessing intake of a variety of
nutrients and assessment of meal patterning and
food group intake 
Useful counseling tool
THE MAIN USES OF DIET HISTORY ACCORDING TO
JAMORABO-RUIZ AND SERRAON-CLAUDIO (2010):

1. Planning food production and distribution.

2. Establishing food and nutrition regulations.
3. Ensuring adequacy of the food supply.
4. Estimating the adequacy of dietary intakes of
individuals and groups.
5. Monitoring trends in food and nutrient
consumption.
 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, dietary assessment plays a crucial role in
understanding eating habits, diagnosing nutritional
imbalances, and improving health outcomes. Various
approaches are used, including retrospective methods
like 24-hour food recall and food frequency
questionnaire, and prospective methods such as food
records and diet history. Each approach has
advantages and limitations, and researchers should
consider their objectives when choosing the appropriate
technique. Understanding the differences between
retrospective and prospective approaches is essential
for accurate dietary assessment and a better
understanding of the nutrition-health relationship.
THE APPROACHES OF
DIETARY ASSESSMENT SONG

Pros requires the current data of your food intake

While Retros are appropriate for large scale of surveys
We also have the four approaches for specificity
Food recall, FFQ, Food record, diet history
The 24-Hour food recall requires your memory
The FFQ will ask your usual diet frequency
Food record is the list of all the food that you intake
And diet history is your habit and what you've ate
THE APPROACHES OF
DIETARY ASSESSMENT SONG

____ requires the current data of your food intake

While _____ are appropriate for large scale of surveys We
also have the four approaches for specificity
Food recall, FFQ, Food record, diet history
The _________________ requires your memory
The ___ will ask your usual diet frequency
_________ is the list of all the food that you intake
And __________ is your habit and what you've ate
 THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING!