Validation of the Experience Sampling Dietary Assessment Method

The purpose of this research project is to advance nutritional research by delivering an improved, accurate, feasible and reliable method to assess dietary intake. Our newly developed approach to collate dietary intake based on experience sampling methodology (ESM) will serve this purpose.

Therefore, this research aims to validate the newly developed Experience Sampling Dietary Assessment Method (ESDAM) by assessing construct validity compared to blood and urine biomarkers representing dietary intake. This will eventually result in the newly developed dietary assessment method being evidence-based and validated and, thus, ready-to-use as a reliable method for research and clinical practice.

Therefore, the ESDAM will be validated against repeated 24-hour dietary recalls, the doubly-labelled water method, urinary nitrogen and blood biomarkers. The study has a duration of four weeks. The first two weeks will be used to collect baseline data including socio-demographic, biometric data and three 24-hour recalls to assess dietary intake. During the last two weeks the Experience Sampling Dietary Assessment Method will be evaluated against urine biomarkers (Doubly-labeled water and urinary nitrogen), blood biomarkers (erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition, beta-carotenoids, polyphenols) together with continuous glucose monitoring and two wrist-worn motion sensor devices to track eating- related movements.

Inclusion criteria

• Signed informed consent
• Having a smartphone and being capable of using the smartphone and apps
• Having a freezer at home
• Sufficient knowledge of the Dutch language to understand and participate in the study
• Having a stable body weight (body weight not changed by 5% last 3 months)
• Not aiming to gain or lose weight during the study period

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant or lactating women
• Not following a specific diet for medical reasons (i.e. coeliac disease)