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Welcome to Diet Assess

 

 

The DietAssess platform (DAP) is a web interface, which can be accessed online and allows its users a standardized and harmonized food consumption collection and comprehensive dietary intake assessment.
The facility includes options to maintain and search the FCDB and to register and evaluate the food consumption questionnaires.

How is the platform organized ?

The platform devides into two main parts :

  • Food Composition database
  • Food consumption questionnaires

Food composition database

The FCDB is a harmonized and standardized data platform, projected and developed according to EuroFIR technical guidelines

The database beside the foods nutritive values standardize and incorporate the foods other qualitative descriptions and definitions:

  • Indexing of foods using LanguaL
  • Indexing of foods using FoodEX2
  • Documentation of values using the EuroFIR thesauri, which include common component definitions and analytical method description
  • Common procedures for recipe calculation and nutrient retention factors
  

Food consumption questionnaires

Types of food consumption questionnaires

  • 24-h dietary recalls(24HDR)
  • Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)
  • Food Propensity Questionnaire(FPQ)

Beside the food consumption evidence the platform register the general information about the participants (consumers) : general information about participant, age, gender, determinants of SES, illnesses, info about specific diet,... anthropometric parameters, blood pressure measurements, supplements intake, physical activity,..

 

Users - user types - user rights :

Depending on user rights there are 2 types of users

  • Common users (Interviewers) - right only for registration of the consumed food items
  • Advanced users (coodrinators, administrator) - rights for FCDB management, reports and data processing

 

Work with the food composition database

The FCDB contains the food items.

Each food item has the unique food code. The table presents the foods by English food name, original food name, food group + food subgroup, marker for recipe, foodEX2 codes, Langual codes and portion sizes (small, medium, large, extra large).

The content of the table could be filtered or sorted (ascending/descending order) by several columns.

fcdb

add_new_food Add new food item into database

components Command button for nutritive components management

recommendations Command button for recommendations management

ffq_fpq questionnaires Command button for FFQ/FPQ questionnaires management

edit food itemEdit / change data for the food item

delete food itemDelete food item from the FCDB

langual codesthe Langual codes appear in a new display for the selected food

FoodEx2the FoodEX2 codes appear in a new display for the selected food

food item

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food item

Each food item contains the general food data :

  • Food code
  • Food name (original, English, Scientific and / or other names)
  • Food group – (selection from the thesauri)
  • Food subgroup – (selection from the thesauri)
  • Origin – Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Other
  • Portion sizes – small, medium, large, extra large
  • Pictures for portion sizes (these pictures (.jpg) with portion sizes will automatically appear on 24h food recall questionnaires)

And data categories (tags) for food determination :

  • Nutritive values
  • Recipe – use when the food item is a composite dish
  • Langual – for Langual indexing
  • FoodEX2 – for FoodEX2 classification

food component definition

Fo For Each nutritive component the following parameters are defined:

  • Component code – from thesauri
  • Selected value – numeric value
  • Unit – from thesauri
  • Matrix unit – from thesauri
  • Value type – from thesauri
  • Value Acquisition – from thesauri
  • Method type – from thesauri
  • Method Indicator – from thesauri
  • Reference type – from thesauri
  • Reference Acquisition – from thesauri
  • Reference title – textual field
  • Reference authors – textual field
  • www link for source information – textual field

recipe

The composite dishes are defined with the following description

  • Recipe procedure – textual description for preparation method
  • General cooking method – (selection from the thesauri)
  • Number of persons – for whom the recipe amounts are
  • Cooked recipe amount (g)
  • Automatic recipe calculation from ingredients – if checked,
  • The tool automatically calculate the nutritive values per 100g recipe from the ingredients
  • Total amount of the recipe (g)

  • Ingredients food codes and names – selection from the FCDB
  • Amount, Unit, Rank
  • Cooking method – if different from general cooking method
  • Remark
  • FoodEX2 codes definition – (for facets F08,F09,F10, F29, F28)

langual codes

Langual - is a Food Description Thesaurus. It is an automated method for describing, capturing and retrieving data about food. The thesaurus provides a standardized language for describing foods, specifically for classifying food products for information retrieval. The data structure for Langual is based on hierarchical (tree) structure. The main nodes contain the Langual Facet group definitions. The user can find, select and assign the current Langual definition to the food item.

FoodEX2 codes

FoodEX2 - standardized food classification and description system - developed by EFSA. The system consists of descriptions of a large number of individual food items aggregated into food groups and broader food categories in a hierarchical parent-child relationship. The data structure for FoodEX2 is based on hierarchical (tree) structure. There are two types of classification: by hierarchy by Facets The signs beside the FoodEX2 items means the position of the current item The user can find, select and assign the current FoodEX2 definition to the food item.

core termscore terms

extended termsextended terms

non-specific termsnon-specific terms

Facets and other service termsFacets and other service terms

generic termsgeneric terms

hierarchy termshierarchy terms

What is the content of the thesauries ?

The thesauries contain the additional basic tabels which are integrated part of the DAP platform. In these tables are the data/standards about the :

  • Chemical component codes and units
  • Nutrient recommendations
  • Standards for the FFQ / FPQ questionnaires

Chemical component codes and units

The current list of chemical components in the database are based on EuroFIR Component thesauri. The component codes are linked to other identifiers such as EUROFOODS, INFOODS and ChEBI. The tool allows to project administrator to enter new / different component codes into the database. By selecting/unselecting the ‘on list’ checkbox for component codes the project administrator defines the list of active components which will appear for each food item and also on generated reports.

 

Chemical components

Chemical components and units

 

Nutrient recommendations

Nutrient recommendations are designed for populations or groups and represent the intakes of micronutrients sufficient to meet the requirements of the majority of healthy individuals (generally 97.5%) of that population or group. The purpose of micronutrient recommendations is to provide guidelines for the nutrient composition of diets as a basis for good health and quality of life. The tool allows the project administrator to define and enter appropriate recommendations into the database depending on the project requirements. (RDA, AI, WHO standards, etc). The recommendations could be defined depending on population groups, age groups and gender. The report will automatically match the recommendation, depend on subjects gender, population and age group.

 

Nutrient recommendations

Nutrient recommendations thesauri

 

Standards for the FFQ / FPQ questionnaires

The table for the FFQ / FPQ food items questionnaire contains the food items which will be included in the questionnaire. Important: the list of food items must be generated before the survey (interviews) starts. The description of the food item could be a generic or group name (i.e.: poultry which is a group name for chicken, turkey, duck,…) FFQ – questionnaires – the report will calculate with the consumed amounts defined by subjects FPQ – questionnaires – the report will calculate the average consumed amounts defined by the system

 

FFQ / FPQ questionnaire food items

FFQ / FPQ questionnaire food item definition

 

For each food item used on FFQ/FPQ questionnaire is important to match with the food items from the database. This matching process enables the calculation of the nutritive values. One food item from the FFQ/FPQ questionnaire could cover several food items from the database. The uploaded pictures (.jpg) and portion sizes will automatically appear on the printed questionnaire (pdf format) and on the screen for the FFQ consumption registration.

FFQ / FPQ questionnaire food item definition

FFQ / FPQ questionnaire food item definition

 

Food consumption record

The DAP platform contains to types of food intake questionnaires:

  • 24h food record evidence
  • FFQ / FPQ food itake questionnaire

Food intake questionnaires

Food intake questionnaires

 

The food itake questionnaire beside the consumed food item registration contains the general type questions. These questions are categorised into following groups:

  • Prescreening questions
  • Physiologic Questions
  • Demographics questions
  • Consumption habits
  • Anthropometry
  • Food allergy
Selection of active items is available for each project. The checked items from this list will appear on the questionnaires (on printed version and on screens for intake evidence and on reports) The selected questions are automatically conected with the 24h and FFQ/FPQ questionnaires. The type of questionnaire (FFQ or FPQ) and the number of 24h recall days for the project can be also set online.

Food intake questionnaire general data

Food intake questionnaires

 

How can I insert food records for 24h questionnires

The 24h questionnaire table presents the list of all subjects for the selected project. Each subject has defined a unique serial number, subject name (or token no.), region (separate parts of the country), season (of the year when the interview will be done), age group, population group, gender, day of the week, interviewer name and separate columns for each 24h consumption and for the general data registration. Depending on user rights, for the Project Administrator all questionnaires are visible, for the regional coordinators only the questionnaires which belong to his region and for the Interviewer only the questionnaires entered by him. The sign ‘!’ is a signal that the questionnaire is not completed (missing amount or food code or some data in general data section)

Food intake questionnaire general data

The command button   Add new subject  insert new subjects into the evidence

The command button   Add new subject   open the existing 24h food intake questionnaires for the subject

24h questionnaire selection

24h questionnaire selection

24h food intake registration

The 24h recall evidence contains 3 parts:

  • Data header – for 24h recall date, season, intake day, consumed meal types registration
  • Consumed food items registration
  • Final questionnaire checking for eventually left food and beverage items
The tool automatically calculates and presents the consumed food amount, and the macro-nutrient contents for the registered food items. The sign ‘!’ beside the food item is a signal that the item is not completed (missing amount or food code or other data)

24h food item registration

For each consumed food item the following data can be filled:

  • Time of consumption – (format: hh:mm)
  • Meal type – selection from the list (breakfast, lunch, dinner,…)
  • Place of consumption – selection from the list (home, out of home)
  • Food code – selection from the FCDB
  • Food/recipe description
  • Recipe marker (Yes/No)
  • Consumed amount – pictures and portion sizes available
  • Brand name
  • Comment
The FoodEX2 codes definition for the following facets could be assigned individually for each consumed food item / subject:
  • sweetening(F08)
  • fortified(F09)
  • qualitative info(F10)
  • packaging material(F19)
  • preparation method(F28)
These facets can be different for each subject and consumption.

 

 

FFQ / FPQ consumption

FFQ / FPQ general data

The subject’s general data registration functions by selection from the combo box lists or entering the data into the appropriate fields. The general data entered in FFQ/ FPQ screen are automatically connected with the 24h recall questionnaires general data screen based on subjects unique ID (serial no) For each subject is available : Print the empty questionnaire Print/send the filled questionnaire data and result by email to subject Export the results into excel format

  • Print the empty questionnaire
  • Print/send the filled questionnaire data and result by email to subject
  • Export the results into excel format

FFQ / FPQ gfood consumption registration

 

During the data consumption registration, for each food item the consumption frequency can be filled. For FFQ questionnaires the field for consumed amount is also required. For supplements beside the frequency and consumed amount, the dose, period of consumption and the producer (brand name) is available for evidence. The software calculate the average nutritive value based on consumtion frequency and consumed amount.

FFQ / FPQ results

The nutritive value of the registered consumption is automatically calculated and displayed on the lower part of the screen. Data displayed on the screen:

  • Nutritive values for the FFQ/FPQ
  • Consumed food amount distribution per food groups (expressed in g and %)
  • Macronutrient (energy, fat, protein and carbohydrates) distribution per food groups (expressed in kcal or g and %)
  • Macronutrient (energy, fat, protein and carbohydrates) distribution per food origin (expressed in kcal or g and %)

 

 

Reports / Results

For 24h food recall and FFQ/FPQ food consumption the results are available in pdf and/or excel format. The reports are the integrated part of the platform and generated online by the user. The reports can formed at

  • individual/subject level and
  • for all subjects or selected subset of subjects

 

For the individual questionnaires the following reports are available:

 

The excel table with the processed results contains the following sheets Results in excel format

  • Data sheet with the general information about subjects (name, birth date, gender, prescreening questions, anthropometry, ....)
  • Data sheet with the calculated nutritive values per subject (macro , micro nutrients, vitamins), food group distribution (g, kcal, protein, fat and carbohydrates), % distribution in Total Energy for fat, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, mono-poly-saturated-trans fatty acids
  • Data sheet with the average nutritive values for all subjects, the nutrient recommendations, the TOP 5 food items as source for each nutrient (amount, number of consumers, nutrient value, food group and subgroup specification)
  • Data sheet with list of all consumed foods with the nutritive values per 100g and the Langual code descriptions for each food item
  • Data sheet with list of all consumed foods and nutritive values per consumed amount and the % distribution in Total Energy for fat, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, mono-poly-saturated-trans fatty acids for each food item
  • Data sheet with food item distribution for all subjects, female and male. The table contains the average consumed amount, kcal, % Energy, amuont in (g) and % for protein, fat and carbohydrates for each food item
  • Data sheet for the FFQ/FPQ consumtion contains for each subject the frequency and average amount for each consumed food

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