title: Three 24-Hour Recalls in Comparison with One Improve the Estimates of Energy and Nutrient Intakes in an Urban Mexican Population.
abstract: Population surveys often collect dietary intake data by using one or two 24-h recalls (24HR), mainly to minimize cost and respondent burden. However, in order to increase accuracy in estimating usual intake distributions, a larger number of 24HRs may be advisable.
  
  
  
  The purpose of this study was to identify whether estimates of the intake and prevalence of nutrient inadequacy based on 3 d are better than those that are based on 1 d of information.
  
  
  
  We conducted a national survey in 31 cities in Mexico using a sample that included 1073 individuals of both sexes, from birth through 79 y of age. Dietary information was collected by using 3 multiple-pass 24HRs (on nonconsecutive days). We estimated intake, adequacy, and prevalence of energy and nutrient inadequacy using information from 1 d and also from 3 d, adjusted for day-to-day variability, using PC-SIDE software. The prevalence of inadequacy was estimated by using the reference values proposed by the US Institute of Medicine.
  
  
  
  We found high prevalences of inadequacy for fiber (73-99%), iron (31-94%), calcium (2-85%), vitamin A (0.1-61%), and folates (2-80%) among various age and sex groups. Energy intake results showed that the variance in the estimated usual 3-d intake distribution was smaller than the variance of distribution estimated from a single daily intake. We observed bigger differences in prevalence of inadequacy between 1 and 3 d for several nutrients. For example, in preschool children, the prevalence of inadequacy of folate and calcium was 30% and 43%, respectively, with 1-d recalls and 3.7% and 4.6%, respectively, with 3-d recalls.
  
  
  
  We conclude that the adjusting-by-variance method using 3 d of 24HR allows for a more accurate estimation of usual intake, dietary adequacy, and prevalence of inadequacy, thereby reducing the measurement error that could compromise the results and conclusions of surveys.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico; and.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shamah-Levy
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico; and scrodrig@insp.mx.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico; and.
authors.forename: Elsa Berenice
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Gaona-Pineda
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico; and.
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cuevas-Nasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, IA.
authors.forename: Alicia L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Carriquiry
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico; and.
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rivera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 24-h recall; Mexico; dietary intake; urban areas; within-subject variance