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The influence of survey duration on estimates of food intakes – relevance for food-based dietary guidelines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Joyce Lambe  and
John Kearney
Joyce Lambe*
Affiliation:
Institute of European Food Studies, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
John Kearney
Affiliation:
Institute of European Food Studies, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
*
*Corresponding author: Joyce Lambe, fax +353 1 670 9176, email [email protected]
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Abstract

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Development of food-based dietary guidelines relies on correct identification and interpretation of current dietary intake patterns. The process involves assessing which foods discriminate between those with desirable and undesirable intakes of particular nutrients. It is therefore important that those involved in this task are aware of any source of variability in the underlying food consumption data that cannot be attributed to true differences between individuals. A short survey duration can introduce a high degree of within-person variation and not reflect usual or more long-term food or nutrient intakes. As survey duration increases, the % consumers identified by a survey increases and the intakes among consumers only decrease while the total population intakes do not change. A short survey duration may also lead to misclassification of individuals into high and low consumers. Survey duration is therefore an issue that should be considered in the interpretation of dietary data when developing food-based dietary guidelines.

Keywords

Survey durationFood intakes% Consumers
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 81 , Issue S1 , June 1999 , pp. S139 - S142
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1999

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