Validation of a self-administered form for recording food intake in hospital patients.
OBJECTIVE
Validation a self-administered form used by patients to record their food intake and compare the recorded data with the observed intake.


METHODS
Data were obtained from an unselected cross-sectional group of hospitalized patients.


METHODS
Forty-five adult men and women volunteered to participate. Five of these dropped out.


METHODS
Observed intake at breakfast, lunch and dinner was obtained by recording the servings of food before they were served to the patients and subtracting weighed leftovers. At meal times the patients recorded food items eaten in fractions of amount served to the nearest 25%.


METHODS
Inpatients from five different wards at Rikshospitalet, Oslo.


RESULTS
There was a significant under-reporting of the number of foods served (P < 0.005) resulting in a significant underestimation of energy 231 kJ (P < 0.02). There was good agreement between the patients and the observers for the portions of most foods (Kappa 0.44-0.92, P < 0.00001). The differences in amount had little influence on the difference in total energy. The difference in number of foods correlated with the difference in energy (r = 0.68, P < 0.001) and with the difference in protein (r = 0.50, P < 0.01). Patients with an underestimation of energy above 20% had forgotten seven or more food items.


CONCLUSIONS
For most patients, the self-administered form adapted to the hospital menu appears to have acceptable validity, but for some patients it was unacceptable, mainly owing to food items being omitted and not because of incorrect estimate of amounts of food.
Førli
L
L
Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
Oppedal
B
B
Skjelle
K
K
Vatn
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015930:Diet Records; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005521:Food Service, Hospital; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins