Search

This study evaluated the effect of recency on accuracy of fourth-graders' dietary reports.Each of 60 randomly selected children was observed eating school meals (breakfast, lunch) and interviewed to obtain a 24-hour dietary recall using one of six conditions generated by crossing two target periods (previous day, prior 24 hours) with three interview times (morning, afternoon, evening), with 10 children (5 males) per condition. Accuracy of the school meal portions of each recall was assessed by comparing reports to observations. Rates for omissions (items observed but not reported) and intrusions (items reported but not observed) were calculated to determine accuracy for reporting items. A measure of total inaccuracy combined errors for reporting items and amounts.Using the prior 24 hours as the target period yielded better performance than did using the previous day: Omission rates were lower by about one-third, intrusion rates by about one-half, and total inaccuracy by about one-third (all p's0.01). A marginally significant interaction of target period by interview time was found for omission rate (p=0.08), but not for intrusion rate (p=0.15) or for total inaccuracy (p=0.47).This provides evidence that recency influences children's recall accuracy and demonstrates the importance of an awareness of principles of memory when designing what are essentially memory tests for epidemiologic studies.

Do children recall school breakfast and school lunch intake during 24-h recalls more accurately when prompted to report meals and snacks in reverse versus forward order?One hundred twenty-one fourth-graders stratified by race (Black, White) and gender were each observed and interviewed twice (once per order) regarding the previous day's intake. Omission and intrusion rates determined accuracy for reporting items. Total inaccuracy determined accuracy for reporting items and amounts.Results failed to indicate significant effects of interviewer, weekday, sequence (first or second recall), or race on omission rates, intrusion rates, or total inaccuracy. A significant order by gender interaction was found for omission rates, which were lower (i.e., better) for males for reverse (53%) versus forward recalls (62%), but not females (61 versus 53%) (P0.008). Intrusion rates were acceptable for males for 54% of reverse recalls and 40% of forward recalls (P = 0.095). Means were 57 and 32%, and 6.4 servings for omission rate, intrusion rate, and total inaccuracy for reverse recalls, and 56 and 39%, and 6.9 servings for forward recalls.Prompting children to report in reverse versus forward order improved omission and intrusion rates for males more so than females. Regardless of reverse or forward order, children reported50% of items observed; furthermore,30% of items reported were not observed. Research is needed to enhance accuracy of children's dietary recalls.

Quality control is an important aspect of a study because the quality of data collected provides a foundation for the conclusions drawn from the study. For studies that include interviews, establishing quality control for interviews is critical in ascertaining whether interviews are conducted according to protocol. Despite the importance of quality control for interviews, few studies adequately document the quality control procedures used during data collection. This article reviews quality control for interviews and describes methods and results of quality control for interviews from two of our studies regarding the accuracy of children's dietary recalls; the focus is on quality control regarding interviewer performance during the interview, and examples are provided from studies with children. For our two studies, every interview was audio recorded and transcribed. The audio recording and typed transcript from one interview conducted by each research dietitian either weekly or daily were randomly selected and reviewed by another research dietitian, who completed a standardized quality control for interviews checklist. Major strengths of the methods of quality control for interviews in our two studies include: (a) interviews obtained for data collection were randomly selected for quality control for interviews, and (b) quality control for interviews was assessed on a regular basis throughout data collection. The methods of quality control for interviews described may help researchers design appropriate methods of quality control for interviews for future studies.

Objective To investigate the accuracy of children's dietary recalls of school breakfast and school lunch validated with observations and obtained during in-person versus telephone interviews. Design Each child was observed eating school breakfast and school lunch and was interviewed that evening about that day's intake. Setting Ten elementary schools. Participants A sample of fourth-graders was randomly selected within race (black, white) and gender strata, observed, and interviewed in person (n = 33) or by telephone (n = 36). Main Outcomes Measured Rates for omissions (items observed but not reported) and intrusions (items reported but not observed) were calculated to determine accuracy for reporting items. A measure of total inaccuracy was calculated to determine inaccuracy for reporting items and amounts combined. Analysis Analysis of variance; chi-square. Results Interview type (in person, telephone) did not significantly affect recall accuracy. For omission rate, intrusion rate, and total inaccuracy, means were 34%, 19%, and 4.6 servings for in-person recalls and 32%, 16%, and 4.3 servings for telephone recalls of school breakfast and school lunch. Conclusions and Implications The accuracy of children's recalls of school breakfast and school lunch is not significantly different whether obtained in person or by telephone. Whether interviewed in person or by telephone, children reported only 67% of items observed; furthermore, 17% of items reported were not observed.