Innovative, participatory tools for dietary assessment and nutrition education in Turkana County – Diagnostic survey

Dietary assessment of children and their caregivers was conducted using the multi-pass quantitative 24-hour food intake recall method. First, respondents were asked to report on all foods and beverages consumed during the preceding 24 hours. Then they were asked to describe the foods and beverages consumed, including ingredients and cooking methods for mixed dishes. The amounts of all foods, beverages, and ingredients of mixed dishes consumed were estimated either in weight, household units (the volume was determined by water content), or in monetary value. The proportion of what was consumed by the respondent was then determined based on the volume consumed and the total volume of the dish cooked. This proportion was used to calculate the amount of ingredients consumed in their raw forms. For dishes consumed outside the home, standard recipes were prepared and they were used to determine the amount of ingredients consumed by the respondent.

Intake data was entered and processed in Lucille, a specialized dietary intake software application developed by the University of Ghent, Belgium. After uploading a food composition table and entering quantitative food intake data per person per day, the software generates the individual nutrient intake estimates.