title: Can a Web-based food record accurately assess energy intake in overweight and obese women? A pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Innovative dietary intake measurement tools, such as web-based food records, are becoming increasingly available for self-monitoring. However, the accuracy of this method has not been well studied. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of energy intake (EI) estimated by a web-based food record, by comparison with total energy expenditure (TEE) measured by doubly-labelled water (DLW) in overweight and obese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total energy expenditure (TEE) was assessed in weight stable (±1 kg) women (n = 9), with a mean (SD) age of 34.5 (11.3) years and body mass index of 29.2 (1.4) kg m(-2) over 10 days using the DLW technique. All food and beverages were self-reported for 9-days using a web-based food record and mean daily EI calculated. Food record accuracy was assessed by calculating the absolute (EI - TEE) and percentage (EI/TEE × 100) differences between EI and TEE. Women were identified as under-reporters of EI based on the 95% confidence limits of the expected EI : TEE of 1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) self-reported EI was 8351 (1225) kJ day(-1) [1996 (293) kcal day(-1) ] and TEE was 10 648 (1774) kJ day(-1) [2545 (424) kcal day(-1) ]. The mean (SD) absolute difference in self-reported EI and TEE was -2301 (1535) kJ day(-1) [-550 (367) kcal day(-1) ], representing a mean reporting accuracy of 79.6% (14.1%), with four participants under-reporting EI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study highlights the opportunity for the use of the Internet as a novel medium for recording and assessing dietary intake. Although further research is needed in more diverse population groups, the accuracy of web-based food records for assessing EI appears to be consistent with other published dietary intake methods.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hutchesson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Truby
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Callister
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: P S W
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015930:Diet Records; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D050177:Overweight; D010865:Pilot Projects; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult