Human Nutrition 3(3+0)

Lesson 47 : Assessment of Nutritional Status

Dietary evaluation methods

In this method nutritional intake of humans is assessed by different methods, which differ according to the level at which the assessment is being carried out, whether national, institutional or household.

1. National level:
• Food balance sheet
• Food disappearance
• Commodity report


2. Institutional level:
• Inventory method
• Actual weighment method


3. Household level:
• 24 hours dietary recall
• Food frequency questionnaire

Limitations:

• Long Questionnaire
• Errors in estimating serving size.
• Needs updating with new commercial food products to keep pace with changing dietary habits.


• Dietary history since early life
• Food diary technique
• Observed food consumption