A 24hr Food Recall is a dietary assessment method in which subjects are asked to report all foods and beverages that they consumed in the previous 24 hours. Such a method relies on the participant to successfully recall the food they have eaten in the preceding 24 hour period, and it only provides a single day snapshot of their diet.
Methods to Record Food Intake
Currently, there are several popular methods for recording a person's food intake. As well as using a 24-hour food recall, there are other methods such as completing a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and filling in a Food Diary. No one method is a perfect solution and each has its pros and cons.
What is the 24hr Food Recall
Subjects are asked to report all foods and beverages consumed in the past 24 hours. This can be done via a telephone or face-to-face interview. Trained staff must conduct the interview to prompt for details, such as cooking methods and portion sizes. The data needs to be entered into a software program for analysis. There are also online automated self-administered 24-hour recall methods available.
Benefits of the 24hr Food Recall
The 24hr food recall is less time consuming for the subject than other methods such as the 3-day food diary, and does not require the subject to judge food sizes themselves. A well-trained assessor is able to extract good data of the intake quantity of food and beverages, relying less on the subject to make these calls. As the recall is done after the food is consumed, it is less likely to alter eating behaviors.
Issues with 24hr Food Recall
The 24 hour food recall is a single day snapshot of the person's diet. Therefore, it may not give a good overall picture of what they usually eat. This method requires multiple recalls over several months to capture habitual food intake.
Related Pages
- List and Discussion of Dietary Assessment Methods
- Nutrition Downloads