Use of a Smartphone Application Can Improve Assessment of High-Fat Food Consumption in Overweight Individuals

Abstract

Background: We evaluated the feasibility of an application for measuring the frequency of consumption of high-fat foods and compared this application with standard methods. Methods: Twenty-six females and thirty six males aged 20–40 were enrolled in Poland. Participants completed the Block Screening Questionnaire for Fat Intake (BSQF; Q1) and a second questionnaire (Q2) with additional high-fat foods. The participants were then monitored for ten days in a real-time manner using a smartphone application that employed the same lists of food as Q2. Results: Most subjects (84%) gave replies to at least three prompts on at least 5 days. The results from Q1 and the application were correlated (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). Energy intake and the frequency of consumption of high-fat foods were correlated in the overweight/obese group (r = 0.83, p < 0.001). The mean differences between Q2 and the app were similar in both groups but the agreement limits were wider in the overweight/obese group than in the normal weight group. Conclusions: An application for mobile devices is a feasible tool for capturing the frequency of high-fat food consumption and it seems to improve the measured variable, especially in overweight or obese people.

A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment of Diet: Implications and Perspectives for Nutritional Epidemiology

“…The first thing we noticed was that few studies validated EMA protocols against current dietary assessment methods or nutritional markers. Among these, Chmurzynska and colleagues compared the feasibility of a signal-contingent EMA protocol for measuring the frequency of consumption of high-fat foods with standard retrospective methods, such as the Block Screening Questionnaire for Fat Intake [20]. Interestingly, they reported that using EMA improved the assessment of dietary data, especially in overweight or obese individuals [20].…”

“…Among these, Chmurzynska and colleagues compared the feasibility of a signal-contingent EMA protocol for measuring the frequency of consumption of high-fat foods with standard retrospective methods, such as the Block Screening Questionnaire for Fat Intake [20]. Interestingly, they reported that using EMA improved the assessment of dietary data, especially in overweight or obese individuals [20]. Next, Bucher Della Torre and colleagues developed the electronic carnet alimentaire (e-CA)—“food record” in French—which included approximately 900 foods and beverages classified in 14 categories [19].…”

Risk of coronary heart disease in the rural population in Xinjiang: A nested case-control study in China

“…Although the interactions between frequent high-fat food consumption and obesity, and the interactions between frequent high-fat food consumption and dyslipidemia have rarely been reported, Chmurzynska et al reported that the frequency of consumption of high-fat foods was correlated in the obesity [28]. Moreover, studies have shown that the interaction between a low-fat diet, such as a Mediterranean diet, and genetic factors have impact on the risk for CHD [29,30].…”

Healthy Eating Behavior Change with Psychological Features and Insulin Resistance: Buffet and Food Diary App Analysis

“…This is also the rst study to assess eating behavior with two different procedures: a buffet test-meal (experimental setting) and a food diary using a mobile app (real-world setting). Previous studies assessed eating behavior by applying only a single method, either an experimental test meal 33 or a food diary app 34 . Studies assessing eating behavior with laboratory meals showed higher reliability and validity, but insu ciently re ected real-world eating behaviors.…”