Research priorities and recommendations for dietary assessment methodology

Abstract

A list of research priorities related to dietary assessment methodology is presented. The priorities are based on a consensus of opinion by a multidisciplinary international group of experts who participated in the First International Conference on Dietary Assessment Methods. These experts included researchers in dietary assessment methodology, major users of dietary assessment methods, and policymakers involved in setting food and nutrition policies. The list of priorities may be used as a guide for planning future research in dietary assessment methods, for prioritizing the allocation of available research resources, and for planning subsequent conferences. A list of recommendations related to dietary assessment methodology is also presented. Procedures used by the conference planners to select the experts are described, and the need for developing objective criteria for ranking priorities is discussed. An ongoing function of the conference series will be to continue the process of revising the priorities and recommendations to reflect progress made and newly identified needs in dietary assessment methodology.