Abstract

Purpose: Inadequate fruit/vegetable intake is linked to the leading causes of global mortality and rise in obesity (World Health Organization, 2009). Traditional dietary assessment methods have limited sensitivity in detecting changes in fruit/vegetable consumption. Advances in mobile technologies may reduce reporting burden while enhancing effectiveness of fruit/vegetable recording, warrenting further study. The purpose of this project was to test the effectiveness of a technology-based method of dietary assessment for fruit/vegetables using cell phones with digital picture capability, for memory prompt in conjunction with MyPyramidtracker.gov website.

Methods: A quasi-experimental repeated measures design was used. The research questions were: 1) What is the effectiveness of recording fruit/vegetable consumption using cell phone digital pictures for memory prompt in conjunction with the MyPyramid Tracker website as compared to MyPyramid Tracker website alone; and 2) What is the acceptability and feasibility of these methods for recording diet among youths?

Results: Data was collected from 69 college-age students enrolled in a southwestern university in the fall of 2010. Subjects recorded three days of diet in MyPyramid Tracker using memory only and three days adding cell phone digital pictures as a memory prompt over a 2 week period. A mixed-model ANOVA supported a statistically significant difference in the cell phone for memory prompt fruit/vegetable scores, F (1, 66) = 3.904, p = .05. Data for research question two was collected from focus groups.

Conclusion: Digital cell phone pictures were more effective than MyPyramid Tracker alone and may contribute to increased accuracy of recording fruit/vegetable consumption. Focus groups suggested both usability and acceptablility of technology for recording diet in this population. Roger's theory of Diffusion of Innovation is suggested as a possible theoretical model for testing technology-based methods of fruit/vegetable consumption. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support for this study provided by a 2010 STTI Small Grant.

Description

41st Biennial Convention - 29 October-2 November 2011. Theme: People and Knowledge: Connecting for Global Health. Held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center.

Author Details

JoAnn D. Long, RN, PhD, NEA-BC; Brent Shriver PhD; Dean Culpepper PhD; Laurel Littlefield BS, MS, ACSM-HFS; Carol Boswell EdD, RN, CNE, ANEF; Gina Kuenzi BSN; Toby Rogers PhD, MPT; Gary Estep PhD

Sigma Membership

Unknown

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Dietary Assessment, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, Cellular Phones

Conference Name

41st Biennial Convention

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Grapevine, Texas, USA

Conference Year

2011

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Effectiveness of cell phones with digital picture capability and MyPyramid Tracker for measurement of fruit/vegetable consumption

Grapevine, Texas, USA

Purpose: Inadequate fruit/vegetable intake is linked to the leading causes of global mortality and rise in obesity (World Health Organization, 2009). Traditional dietary assessment methods have limited sensitivity in detecting changes in fruit/vegetable consumption. Advances in mobile technologies may reduce reporting burden while enhancing effectiveness of fruit/vegetable recording, warrenting further study. The purpose of this project was to test the effectiveness of a technology-based method of dietary assessment for fruit/vegetables using cell phones with digital picture capability, for memory prompt in conjunction with MyPyramidtracker.gov website.

Methods: A quasi-experimental repeated measures design was used. The research questions were: 1) What is the effectiveness of recording fruit/vegetable consumption using cell phone digital pictures for memory prompt in conjunction with the MyPyramid Tracker website as compared to MyPyramid Tracker website alone; and 2) What is the acceptability and feasibility of these methods for recording diet among youths?

Results: Data was collected from 69 college-age students enrolled in a southwestern university in the fall of 2010. Subjects recorded three days of diet in MyPyramid Tracker using memory only and three days adding cell phone digital pictures as a memory prompt over a 2 week period. A mixed-model ANOVA supported a statistically significant difference in the cell phone for memory prompt fruit/vegetable scores, F (1, 66) = 3.904, p = .05. Data for research question two was collected from focus groups.

Conclusion: Digital cell phone pictures were more effective than MyPyramid Tracker alone and may contribute to increased accuracy of recording fruit/vegetable consumption. Focus groups suggested both usability and acceptablility of technology for recording diet in this population. Roger's theory of Diffusion of Innovation is suggested as a possible theoretical model for testing technology-based methods of fruit/vegetable consumption. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support for this study provided by a 2010 STTI Small Grant.