Community Nutrition

COMMUNITY NUTRITION 3 (1+2)

Lesson 6 : Diet Survey

Food records

1. The respondent is asked to record at the time of consumption all foods and beverages consumed for a specified time.
2. Detail description of all foods and beverages and their methods of preparation and cooking are recorded.
3. Food portion size can be estimated by using standard household measuring cups and spoons or supplemented by measurements.
4. Portion sizes are later converted to grams by the investor to calculate nutrient intake.

It involves maintenance of dietary records of weighed quantities of foods consumed by an individual according to number of days of survey. If this method is followed well with proper instructions, a large sample can be covered in short time, sometimes through mailed questionnaire also, provided the population is educated.