title: A comparison of dietary methods in epidemiologic studies.
abstract: Three methods of estimating group and individual dietary consumption have been developed and assessed in a case-control study of diet and breast cancer. The methods comprised a 24-hour recall, a detailed quantitative diet history directed to the most recent two-month period and the two-month period six months before, and a four-day diet diary. There is a high degree of correlation between the estimates of food consumption for the controls using each of the methods. The highest estimate was obtained from the diet history, with a slightly higher estimate in the period six months before than the current period, while the lowest is found in the 24-hour recall. The latter corresponds with the same method in a Nutrition Canada Survey. It is concluded that all methods ara applicable to case-control studies, but the diet history is preferred when current food intake may be influenced by a disease.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D002170:Canada; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011996:Records; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires