A novel method to remotely measure food intake of free-living individuals in real time: the remote food photography method

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to report the first reliability and validity tests of the remote food photography method (RFPM), which consists of camera-enabled cell phones with data transfer capability. Participants take and transmit photographs of food selection and plate waste to researchers/clinicians for analysis. Following two pilot studies, adult participants (n 52; BMI 20 -35 kg/m 2 inclusive) were randomly assigned to the dine-in or take-out group. Energy intake (EI) was measured for 3 d. The dine-in group ate lunch and dinner in the laboratory. The take-out group ate lunch in the laboratory and dinner in free-living conditions (participants received a cooler with pre-weighed food that they returned the following morning). EI was measured with the RFPM and by directly weighing foods. The RFPM was tested in laboratory and free-living conditions. Reliability was tested over 3 d and validity was tested by comparing directly weighed EI to EI estimated with the RFPM using Bland -Altman analysis. The RFPM produced reliable EI estimates over 3 d in laboratory (r 0·62; P,0·0001) and free-living (r 0·68; P, 0·0001) conditions. Weighed EI correlated highly with EI estimated with the RFPM in laboratory and free-living conditions (r . 0·93; P, 0·0001). In two laboratory-based validity tests, the RFPM underestimated EI by 24·7 % (P¼ 0·046) and 25·5 % (P¼ 0·076). In free-living conditions, the RFPM underestimated EI by 26·6 % (P¼ 0·017). Bias did not differ by body weight or age. The RFPM is a promising new method for accurately measuring the EI of free-living individuals. Error associated with the method is small compared with self-report methods.Digital photography: Food intake: Energy intake: Measurement: Self-reportThe gold standard for measuring food or energy intake (EI) in free-living humans is the doubly labelled water (DLW) method. DLW provides an accurate measure of total daily energy expenditure and, during a period of energy balance, total daily energy expenditure is equal to EI (1,2) . When a large energy deficit is present during the DLW period, however, it is difficult to obtain an accurate (valid) estimate of an individual's short-term EI using DLW, even if changes in energy stores are considered (3) . This limitation is noteworthy, since researchers and clinicians frequently require an estimate of EI during diets or periods of energy restriction. Additional limitations of the DLW method include: (1) cost; (2) availability; (3) its inability to provide important information about the type and micro-and macronutrient composition of foods ingested. Nevertheless, seemingly few valid and reliable alternatives for estimating EI are available.Self-report methods are frequently used to collect EI data, including 24 h food recall and pen-and-paper food records. When estimating EI with 24 h food recall, a trained individual interviews the participant about his/her food and beverage consumption over the previous 24 h. This method relies on the ability of the participant to accurately recall the types and amou...

Platemate

“…One prominent approach is 24-hour recall, in which a trained dietitian interviews a subject about her consumption over the previous day [16]. Accuracy depends on the subject's memory and honesty, and the technique requires a costly expert to conduct analysis.…”

“…Our work is inspired by the Remote Food Photography Method (RFPM) [16], a novel approach from the nutrition literature. Rather than remembering foods or writing down records, users take two photographs of each meal: one at the beginning of the meal and one at the end documenting the leftovers.…”

Photography-based mobile assessment of alcohol use in young adults: Feasibility and comparison to standard assessment methodology (Preprint)

“…Alcohol use is prevalent among young adults; most (78%) of US adults aged [18][19][20][21][22][23][24] report drinking alcohol in the past year [1]. Alcohol is calorically dense [2] and heavy episodic drinking during young adulthood can increase the risk of excess weight gain and the transition to obesity [3].…”

“…SmartIntake® is used to capture images of food selection and plate/drink waste in near real-time in people's natural environment. SmartIntake ® photos are analyzed by nutrition experts to estimate energy and nutrient content using standardized methods [19,20], eliminating the need for participants to accurately recall and report portion sizes. The RFPM and SmartIntake ® have excellent evidence for validity in measuring energy intake in the general adult population; SmartIntake ® estimates had only a 3.7% error rate when compared to energy expenditure estimates from doubly-labeled water in weight-stable adults [17].…”

Improving Patient Problem Solving to Reduce Barriers to Diabetes Self-Management

“…48 For example, recent research has identified the value in using cell phone cameras to document food choices and quantities. 49 Many mobile systems provide assessment that is closer in time and proximity to the actual barriers to self-management but still rely on self-report. However, any automation or mobile monitoring of health behaviors will make the integration of adherence data into clinical management much more feasible.…”