An interactive 24-h recall technique for assessing the adequacy of trace mineral intakes of rural Malawian women; its advantages and limitations.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relative validity of an interactive 24-h recall for estimating mineral intakes of rural Malawian women.


METHODS
Repeated interactive 24-h recalls were compared with weighed records collected for the same 2 days of food intake, and for 2 days 1-2 weeks prior and subsequent to the weighed record data collection period.


METHODS
Three villages in traditional authority Jalasi, Mangochi District, Malawi.


METHODS
60 rural pregnant women.


RESULTS
Median daily intakes of most minerals (Ca, Fe, Zn, Mn) were comparable for the two methods, but slightly overestimated for recalled (R) intakes expressed per MJ (mg/MJ) compared to weighed (W) (R vs W = Ca, 48 vs 38; Fe, 2.1 vs 1.9; Zn, 0.9 vs 0.8; Mn, 0.40 vs 0.38; P < or = 0.05). By contrast, recalled median daily intakes of energy (kJ), protein (g) fat (g) and Cu (mg) were slightly underestimated (R vs W = 6588 vs 7824; 51 vs 57; 14 vs 15; 1.3 vs 1.6, respectively; P < or = 0.05). Discrepancies were attributed primarily to inaccurate estimates of main meal food portions [R vs W = nsima (the main meal cereal style) 475 vs 557; and legume relish 171 vs 118 P < or = 0.001]. For classifying intakes into tertiles, agreement between the two methods was poor for daily intakes (Cohen's kappa < 0.40), but fair when expressed per MJ, and as a percentage of energy from food groups (Cohen's kappa > or = 0.40). Variance ratios for recall data were higher than corresponding ratios for the weighed intakes (R vs W = for energy, 4.87 vs 0.87), indicating poorer recall measurement precision.


CONCLUSIONS
Results emphasise the importance of selecting the dietary method according to the study objectives, and the nutrients required.
Ferguson
E L
EL
Division of Applied Human Nutrition, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Gadowsky
S L
SL
Huddle
J M
JM
Cullinan
T R
TR
Lehrfeld
J
J
Gibson
R S
RS
D000328:Adult; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D015982:Bias; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi; D011939:Mental Recall; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012423:Rural Health; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014131:Trace Elements
D014131:Trace Elements