Evaluation of a smartphone food diary application using objectively measured energy expenditure

Abstract

BackgroundDietary assessment methods are limited in their ability to adequately measure food and beverage consumption. Smartphone applications may provide a novel method of dietary assessment to capture real-time food intake and the contextual factors surrounding eating occasions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the capability of a Smartphone meal diary app (“FoodNow”) to measure food intake using a validated objective method for assessing energy expenditure among young adults.MethodsParticipants (18–30 years) used FoodNow over four non-consecutive days recording all eating occasions through a combination of written text, and/or optional images and voice recordings. A series of contextual questions were also completed. Participants wore the validated SenseWear Armband (BodyMedia Inc, USA) during the same period to measure free-living energy expenditure. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) estimated the reliability of FoodNow to measure estimated energy intake compared to measured energy expenditure.ResultsNinety participants (71 female, 19 male; mean age = 24.9 ± 4.1 years) were recruited to use the FoodNow app to record their eating occasions. Thirteen were excluded as they did not meet minimum requirements for number of reporting days (n = 3) or SenseWear Armband wear time (5 days of 11 h), while 21 participants were excluded after being identified as mis-reporters (Huang method). Among the remaining sample (n = 56), reliability between estimated energy intake and measured energy expenditure was high (ICC, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.61–0.84).ConclusionsFoodNow is a suitable method for capturing estimated energy intake data from young adults. Despite wide levels of agreement at the individual level (−3709 kJ to 2056 kJ), at the group level, FoodNow appears to have potential as a dietary assessment tool. This new dietary assessment method will offer an alternative and novel method of dietary assessment which is capable of collecting both estimated energy intake and contextual factors surrounding eating occasions. Information collected may be used to inform future public health messages or research interventions.

The relative validity of a food record using the smartphone application MyFitnessPal

“…However, it is important to note that in the latter study, participants were instructed to consume pre-packaged and pre-labelled ration packs which reduced the variability of foods and nutrients. Therefore, when comparing our results with other similar studies that evaluated the use of apps in a natural context, we found less errors, as evidenced by the amplitude of the limits of agreement of 4466 kJ, 7 6246 kJ 5 and 5766 kJ, 9 respectively, which are similar to those found in the present study (5608 kJcrude), but higher than ours when adjusted (3407 kJ). Also, our d value for energy was found to be closer to zero (−56 kJ).…”

“…Despite the lack of evaluation of user opinion concerning the MFP database, comparisons of the present study with current literature 5,7,[9][10][11] show that the MFP database may lack information about nutrients for many food entries, especially for those that are not labelled. Possibly MFP database also lacks information in entries in the Portuguese (a) Adjustment for in-person variability only.…”

“…4,5,8 Hutchesson et al, 5 when comparing values of energy intake obtained from doubly labelled water method, and smartphone or P-FR found similar underestimation values, however P-FR showed more random errors, relatively to smartphone-based food records, which may indicate smartphone methods are more accurate than traditional P-FR, and evidence supported by other studies. 7,[9][10][11] MyFitnessPal (MFP) is a free smartphone and computer application that offers self-monitoring of food intake, physical activity and anthropometric measures. MFP was considered the favourite application from many others at the same category by sports dietitians who used applications in nutritional care.…”

Effects of a home care mobile app on the outcomes of discharged patients with a stoma: A randomised controlled trial

“…Fukuoka et al (2015) found that the mobile app was cost-effective and convenient to deliver proven weight-loss interventions to type 2 diabetes mellitus. The smartphone app was also capable of recording eating patterns to assess energy intake among young adults (Pendergast, Ridgers, Worsley, & McNaughton, 2017). Armstrong, Coyte, Brown, Beber, and Semple (2017) showed that follow-up care management could be delivered by a mobile app instead of in-person follow-up visits during the first 30 days after ambulatory breast reconstruction operation.…”

Current Developments in Digital Quantitative Volume Estimation for the Optimisation of Dietary Assessment

“…Adopting a patient-centered approach is crucial in diagnosing and addressing nutritional gaps. Furthermore, the widespread availability of smartphone devices, computer vision technology and improved digital connectivity has opened doors to more precise methods of dietary assessment [34][35][36][37][38].…”