The overall goal of this project is to develop a computerized dietary monitoring program, which is sufficiently comprehensive, flexible, and accurate to be utilized for dietary research and in clinical settings. The Dietary Research Monitoring System (DRMS) to be developed in Phase I uses an interactive PC and palmtop software program to allow researchers to tailor the dietary assessment and compliance program to their research purposes and subsequently upload the collected dietary intake data for analysis. The DRMS features are designed to maximize accuracy and compliance to dietary assessment via online food portion tutorials and reminder prompts for data entry. The program also is designed to enhance adherence to assigned dietary regimens if required. The DRMS prototype will be evaluated with two professional user groups (dietary researchers and nutritionists). A small concurrent validity trial comparing the DRMS to other dietary assessment measures also will be conducted to determine feasibility.
This product should have broad applicability in a wide range of dietary research and clinical settings where real-time recording of dietary intake is used. Tlhe features of the DRMS, however, also make it useful for specifying as assigned dietary regimen and enhancing compliance to that regimen, thereby making it applicable for a number of dietary needs, both in the research and clinical arena.
