Recommendations for the Use of the Veggie Meter® for Spectroscopy-Based Skin Carotenoid Measurements in the Research Setting

Radtke, Marcela; Poe, Mykaela; Stookey, Jodi; Pitts, Stephanie Jilcott; Moran, Nancy E.; Landry, Matthew J.; Rubin, Lewis P.; Stage, Virginia C.; Scherr, Rachel E.

doi:10.1093/cdn/nzab104

Cited by 20 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(56 reference statements)

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“…The Veggie Meter ® is a validated, research-grade instrument that utilizes pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy to estimate carotenoid concentration in the skin [ 11 ]. The protocol for collecting data using the Veggie Meter ® , including triplicate measures and the use of the non-dominant ring finger, was followed to ensure that inter- and intra-individual variability, as well as environmental interferences, were minimized [ 30 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of Diet ID™ in Predicting Nutrient Intake Compared to Dietary Recalls, Skin Carotenoid Scores, and Plasma Carotenoids in University Students

et al. 2023

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Background and Aim: Collecting accurate dietary information in the research setting is challenging due to the inherent biases, duration, and resource-intensive nature of traditional data collection methods. Diet ID™ is a novel, rapid assessment method that uses an image-based algorithm to identify dietary patterns and estimate nutrient intake. The purpose of this analysis was to explore the criterion validity between Diet ID™ and additional measures of dietary intake. Methods: This prospective cohort study (n = 42) collected dietary information using Diet ID™, the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR), plasma carotenoid concentrations, and the Veggie Meter® to estimate carotenoid levels in the skin. Results: There were significant correlations between Diet ID™ and NDSR for diet quality, calories, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and cholesterol. Vitamin A and carotenoid intake were significantly correlated, with the exception of α-carotene and lycopene. Significant correlations were observed for calcium, folate, iron, sodium, potassium, Vitamins B2, B3, B6, C, and E. Skin carotenoid scores and plasma carotenoids were correlated with carotenoid intake from Diet ID™. Conclusions: Diet ID™ may be a useful tool in nutrition research as a less time-intensive and minimally burdensome dietary data collection method for both participants and researchers.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of Diet ID™ in Predicting Nutrient Intake Compared to Dietary Recalls, Skin Carotenoid Scores, and Plasma Carotenoids in University Students

et al. 2023

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“…The current study also improves upon the data collection methods of the previous research. Earlier studies were limited to food frequency questionnaires and self-reported purchasing; the present study includes two 24-h dietary recalls to measure F&V intake, an imperfect gold standard for dietary data collection [ 25 ], and uses the Veggie Meter ® to assess dermal carotenoids, an objective measure that has been correlated with F&V intake [ 19 , 20 ]. We will also use a standardized point of sale (POS) software to capture purchasing across communities and mobile market programs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Skin carotenoids will be assessed using the commercially available Veggie Meter ® (Longevity Link, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA), which relies on reflection spectroscopy to measure the level of carotenoid pigments. Emerging evidence supports the use of spectroscopy-based skin carotenoid measurements as a noninvasive objective method for determining skin carotenoid concentrations indicative of F&V intake [ 19 , 20 ]. We will ask participants to clean their hands with an alcohol wipe before inserting the left index finger into the meter.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Research-Tested Mobile Produce Market Model Designed to Improve Diet in Under-Resourced Communities: Rationale and Design for the Veggie Van Study

Vermont

Kasprzak

Lally

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Mobile produce markets are increasingly popular retail vendors used for providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables (F&V) in under-resourced communities; however, evaluation is limited due to design and implementation challenges. This protocol presents the original design of a randomized control trial aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the evidence-based Veggie Van (VV) mobile market model. Nine US community partner organizations were asked to partner with four community sites serving lower-income areas. Sites are randomized to either intervention or control. Intervention sites will host a mobile market for one year while the control sites will host planning events, with the goal to open a market afterward. Eligible participants are aged ≥ 18, the primary household shopper, live nearby/regularly frequent the site, and have expressed interest in learning about a mobile market. The primary outcome, F&V consumption, will be assessed via dietary recall at baseline and 12 months and compared between the intervention and control sites. This research advances work on the VV model and methods for mobile market evaluation with the addition of more robust measures and the study design. Determining the effectiveness of the VV model is imperative to justify taking it to scale to enhance the impact of mobile markets.

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“…After the publication of more research using the Veggie Meter ® , the protocol evolved to include hand cleaning and the use of the non-dominant ring finger [42]. Since completion of this study, users of the Veggie Meter ® worked together to create a comprehensive set of recommendations for use in different research settings [53]. Future studies utilizing the Veggie Meter ® in this population should follow these guidelines to ensure consistency with other research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring Skin Carotenoids Using Reflection Spectroscopy in a Low-Income School Setting

et al. 2021

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Dietary behavior change is difficult to accurately measure in a low-income youth population. Objective tools to measure fruit and vegetable consumption without relying on self-report present the opportunity to do this with less respondent burden and bias. A promising tool for quantifying fruit and vegetable consumption via proxy is skin carotenoids as measured by reflection spectroscopy through a device called the Veggie Meter®. To assess whether the Veggie Meter® is able to detect changes in skin carotenoids as a proxy for fruit and vegetable consumption in a low-income school setting, skin carotenoid measurements were collected at three time points, along with student level demographics, anthropometric measurements, and nutrition knowledge. A secondary goal of this study was to refine the protocol to be used based on researcher observations. Repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons indicate that there was a significant difference in VM scores over the course of the study (F(2, 68) = 6.63, p = 0.002), with an increase in skin carotenoids from Fall 2018 to Spring 2019 (p = 0.005). This increase was sustained over the summer months when measured in Fall 2019. Changes to the protocol included the addition of a hand cleaning step and using the non-dominant ring finger for data collection. With these refinements, the results demonstrate that the Veggie Meter® is usable as a non-invasive tool for measuring fruit and vegetable consumption in a population that is traditionally difficult to assess.

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Recommendations for the Use of the Veggie Meter® for Spectroscopy-Based Skin Carotenoid Measurements in the Research Setting

Cited by 20 publications

References 46 publications

Validation of Diet ID™ in Predicting Nutrient Intake Compared to Dietary Recalls, Skin Carotenoid Scores, and Plasma Carotenoids in University Students

Validation of Diet ID™ in Predicting Nutrient Intake Compared to Dietary Recalls, Skin Carotenoid Scores, and Plasma Carotenoids in University Students

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Research-Tested Mobile Produce Market Model Designed to Improve Diet in Under-Resourced Communities: Rationale and Design for the Veggie Van Study

Measuring Skin Carotenoids Using Reflection Spectroscopy in a Low-Income School Setting

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