Enhancing the Accuracy of Self-Reported Dietary Intake in Young Children: Development of Two Proxy Reporting Protocols for Self-Reported Dietary Assessment

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are conducting a randomized crossover trial to develop and compare two proxy-reporting methods for assessing dietary intake in young children aged 2 to 5 years. The study aims to evaluate how usable and feasible a traditional 24-hour dietary recall and an ecological momentary assessment (EMA)-assisted 24-hour recall are when reported by caregivers. It also seeks to identify dietary misreporting differences between the two methods and examine their accuracy against objectively measured food intake. Caregivers with children in the specified age range will be randomly assigned to start with either the traditional 24-hour recall or the EMA-assisted method. Both groups will provide study foods—one meal and two snacks daily for three consecutive days—to their child. In the EMA condition, caregivers and any second identified caregivers will upload pre- and post-meal photos of the child's eating occasions using an online platform. Following each food provision period, caregivers will complete a telephone-based 24-hour dietary recall with a trained research assistant who will use the photographs to help verify reported intake. After a two-week break, caregivers will switch to the other method. Participants will be involved for two separate three-day food provision periods with a washout in between. Caregivers complete surveys assessing the usability and acceptability of each reporting protocol and the EMA platform interface. Researchers will weigh leftover food for objective intake measurement and analyze misreporting and energy intake accuracy. The study includes safety and feasibility monitoring and will continue until December 2026.

Early Childhood Dietary Assessment Study