Dietary assessment - Dietary checklist
The dietary or food checklist is a prospective method of dietary assessment, which is not routinely used in research studies. It combines elements of a food frequency questionnaire (as it is based on a pre-printed food list) and an estimated food diary. The principle behind the dietary checklist is that it should be simple and completed at the time of consumption. Respondents refer to the food list and the specified serving size (e.g. slices, teaspoons) and tick the box the appropriate number of times corresponding to the serving eaten. Second helpings are recorded in the same way. Half portions can be indicated on the checklist by circling a ‘½’. Typically, there is space on the food checklist for the respondent to indicate the use of an alternative serving size if they prefer. A space is available at the end of each day for ‘other foods’ that are not present or cannot be found on the checklist. Details of foods that are bought and eaten away from home such as packet sandwiches or takeaway foods are recorded in the ‘eating out and takeaway’ section. The checklist should be kept for a minimum of four days.
In contrast to diet diaries or 24-hour recalls there is less detail collected and time and place of consumption is not recorded. Restrictions on the number of foods on the list means that specific food types e.g. normal and low fat versions may not be separated for many foods. This may be partially overcome by a supplementary eating questionnaire about the usual types of core foods consumed e.g. milk. The list of foods that appear on the checklist must be representative of the foods eaten by the population under study. This becomes difficult in a national survey for example, where people of many different ethnic backgrounds will be studied.
Prior to the national UK Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey (LIDNS), undertaken in November 2003- January 2005, a methods study was carried out, funded by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), to inform the choice of dietary assessment method for the main survey. The methods study, Low Income Diet Methods Study (LIDMS) compared a 4-day weighed diary, 4-day semi-weighed diary, 4 repeat 24-hour recalls and a 4-day dietary checklist. The report for this study is available from the FSA on request (Nelson et al, 2003). Main findings are published elsewhere (Holmes et al 2008). Findings of the LIDMS inform this section of the toolkit.
Instructions for completing the food checklist are detailed in the booklet itself but also explained to respondents face-to-face. Interviews go through the food checklist, probing for missing items, during and at the end of the recording period.
Currently researchers at the University of Newcastle led by Dr Ashley Adamson are developing a computer-based food checklist to assess diet in children.