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24-h recalls in the NVS II

Short-term food consumption of the previous day was asked twice by 24-h recalls using the software EPIC-SOFT. The programme was developed within the framework of the study "European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon and adapted for the NVS II. Two telephone interviews are available from 13,926 participants.

Advantages of this method

  • Remembering food consumption of the previous day only requires short-term memory.
  • Precise information on frequencies and quantities of the foods consumed is possible.
  • Detailed descriptions of the foods, e.g. on the fat content, are possible.
  • The computer-assisted interview is suitable for a high number of participants.
  • A high degree of standardisation is achieved.
  • Telephone interviewing is possible.
  • The burden for the participants is low.

Disadvantages of this method

  • By assessment of single days, rarely eaten foods may not be recorded.
  • With few protocol days, not the usual but the short-term consumption of a person is determined.
  • Subjective influences on the stated consumption quantities are possible (e.g. through personal attitudes, social or religious rules).

Literature on 24-h recalls

  • Krems C, Bauch A, Götz A, Heuer T, Hild A, Möseneder J, Brombach C: Methoden der Nationalen Verzehrsstudie II. Ernahrungs-Umschau 53 (6), 44–50, 2006
  • Merten C, Ferrari P, Bakker M, Boss A, Hearty A, Leclercq C, Lindtner O, Tlustos C, Verger P, Volatier JL, Arcella D: Methodological characteristics of the national dietary surveys carried out in the European Union as included in the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) comprehensive european food consumption database. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 28 (8), 975–995, 2011
  • Rutishauser IH: Dietary intake measurements. Public Health Nutr 8 (7A), 1100–1107, 2005
  • Slimani N, Deharveng G, Charrondiere RU, van Kappel AL, Ocke MC, Welch A, Lagiou A, van Liere M, Agudo A, Pala V, Brandstetter B, Andren C, Stripp C, van Staveren WA, Riboli E: Structure of the standardized computerized 24-h diet recall interview used as reference method in the 22 centers participating in the EPIC project. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Comput methods programs biomed 58 (3), 251–266, 1999
  • Straßburg A: Ernährungserhebungen - Methoden und Instrumente. Ernährungs-Umschau 57, 422–430, 2010
  • Van Staveren W, Ocké M, De Vries J: Estimation of Dietary Intake. In: Erdman J, Macdonald I, Zeisel S (Hrsg.): Present Knowledge in Nutrition ILSI Press, Ames, Iowa, 1012-1026, 2012