Promising approaches of computer-supported dietary assessment and management—Current research status and available applications. Issue 12 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arens-Volland, Andreas G.; Spassova, Lübomira; Bohn, Torsten
• Is Part Of: International journal of medical informatics. Volume 84:Issue 12(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 997
• Page End: 1008
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: 24-HDR 24-hour dietary recall -- DHQ dietary history questionnaire -- DR dietary recall -- FDA food and drug administration -- FFQ food frequency questionnaire -- FNDDS food and nutrient database for dietary studies -- FR food records -- ICT information and communication technology -- mHealth mobile health -- NCI National Cancer Institute -- NICE National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence -- PDA personal digital assistant -- PHR personal health record -- RCT randomized controlled trial -- T1DM type 1 diabetes mellitus -- T2DM type 2 diabetes mellitus -- TADA technology assisted diet assessment -- USDA United States Department of Agriculture; Dietary records -- Food diaries -- Self-management -- Food intake -- Personal health records -- Ubiquitous and mobile devices; Medical informatics -- Periodicals; Information science -- Periodicals; Computers -- Periodicals; Medical technology -- Periodicals; Medical Informatics -- Periodicals; Technology, Medical -- Periodicals; Computers; Information science; Medical informatics; Medical technology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 610.285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.08.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1386-5056

Abstract

Highlights: Potential of scientific and applied tools for dietary management is highlighted. Different tools predominate research vs. commercial applications. Personal health records (PHR) or health care workflows are underutilised. Development of comprehensive databases and simpler user interfaces for data entry can enhance future use. Abstract: Purpose: The aim of this review was to analyze computer-based tools for dietary management (including web-based and mobile devices) from both scientific and applied perspectives, presenting advantages and disadvantages as well as the state of validation. Methods: For this cross-sectional analysis, scientific results from 41 articles retrieved via a medline search as well as 29 applications from online markets were identified and analyzed. Results: Results show that many approaches computerize well-established existing nutritional concepts for dietary assessment, e.g., food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) or dietary recalls (DR). Both food records and barcode scanning are less prominent in research but are frequently offered by commercial applications. Integration with a personal health record (PHR) or a health care workflow is suggested in the literature but is rarely found in mobile applications. Conclusions: It is expected that employing food records for dietary assessment in research settings will be increasingly used when simpler interfaces, e.g., barcode scanning techniques, and comprehensive food databases are applied, which can also support user adherence to dietary interventions and follow-up phases of nutritional studies.