Methods of Dietary Assessment

Dietary Assessment

• It is almost impossible to give guidelines for the ideal diet.

• Why?• Ideal diet depends on many factors:• Age• Sport• Build• Performance Requirements• Personal Likes / Dislikes• Ambitions.

Would these athletes have similar dietary requirements?

Methods Of Dietary Assessment

• There are certain methods and techniques that have been developed by nutritionists to monitor what foods athletes eat.

• These are primarily designed to:

• Monitor the amounts of the different food groups the athlete is ingesting.

• Ensure that the right foods are being eaten prior to and after competition

Assessment Methods

• Diaries

• Recording Sheets

• Interviews

• Software Packages

• Observation

Diary

• This is probably the most common method of dietary assessment. It basically involves the athlete recording everything that they eat and drink 24 / 7.

Recording Sheet

• Same principle as a diary but meals are recorded in more detail. Such as exact amount of food eaten.

• Either in weight – grams, ounces, tbs etc.

• Or

• Calorific value of each meal eaten such as calories or grams of carbs, protein and fats.

Software Packages

• Software packages have been designed to try and make the whole process of recording food intake easier.

• But inputting certain data into a software package the computer can calculate your calorie intake.

• This allows you to monitor very accurately your daily intake of food.

Interviews / Observation

• This involves a third party usually a fitness coach or sports nutritionist.

• They will spend time with the athlete usually living with them at home or in a training camp. This allows them to study the eating habits of the athlete.

• It also allows them to see exactly what foods the athlete is eating.

• Interviews can take place before during and after an observation.

Research Task1. Record your food / fluid intake in the form of a food diary for 1

week. Include everything that you eat and drink. You must also record any exercise you do during the 1 week period.

2. Record your food / fluid intake in the form of a diet recording sheet for 1 week. Include everything that you eat and drink. You must also record any exercise you do during the 1 week period.

3. Go to www.maximuscle.co.uk and use the daily meal planner to convert the meals you recorded in your diary in task 1 into exact nutritional values.

4. You and a partner of your choice must observe and record each others food / fluid intake for 1 week. When you are unable to observe them (when not in school) you must record what they ate via a phone, msn or face to face interview.