The 24-Hour Food Recall

Videotape. 1998. From Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Oklahoma State University, 315 HES Building, Stillwater, OK 74078-6163, videotape with facilitator's manual, $35.00.

The 24-Hour Food Recall is a suitable method to evaluate the diets of diverse groups of people such as those served by the Cooperative Extension Service Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) and other nutrition education programs. The 24-hour recall method is easy to administer; economical, and is not dependent on the literacy of the respondent. This videotape with accompanying manual educates the viewer on what measures need to be taken in order to ensure accurate data collection and interpretation.

What does it take to obtain an accurate and unbiased 24-hour dietary reca1l? Would it be years of experience, an uncanny ability to relate to other people, or the skills required to ask pertinent questions regarding food intake? The answer may be a combination of the above and one that is skillfully addressed in the videotape, The 24-Hour Food Recall. This videotape and accompanying manual, developed by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, are useful for several audiences, including nutrition education assistants, paraprofessionals involved with dietary intake data collection, and nursing and nutrition students.

The primary goal of The 24-Hour Food Recall and guide is to promote skill development in conducting accurate diet recalls within a community setting. Using a viewer-friendly and positive approach, the videotape follows an introductory segment to the 24-hour food recall method with 10 skillfu1ly planned sections. Sections topics include (1) establishing trust to obtain accurate recall information, (2) body language, (3) closed and open-ended questions, (4) follow-up questions, (5) reviewing the recall with the participant, (6) entering recall data for computer analysis, and (7) communicating the results of the food recall. Each learning session ends with a "stop and learn" prompt on the screen and commentator encouragement to stop the tape for practice of the learning activities presented for that section. Providing the content in several short learning sessions encourages effective instruction and adds to the flexible use of the videotape.

The most benefit will be obtained in a format that includes a leader, skilled in food recall techniques, guiding a small to moderate-sized group through each videotape section and the activities prompted by the videotape. However, it could function as an independent study resource, being especially suitable for a review, update, or introduction to the topic. The length of the videotape is just under 40 minutes, but the time required to complete it will vary depending on the amount of discussion and practice.

The Facilitator's Manual strengthens the training dimension by including a 24-hour recall form, a basic conversions worksheet with an answer sheet included, and a detailed evaluation form to be used for assessing food recall techniques. The activities described in the manual are not extraneous exercises; they function to support the videotape. One example is an activity in Section 9 about coding foods and measurement conversion. Using the food list included in the manual, viewers are instructed to code the food items, compare their lists with other group members, and discuss why each person used a particular code to represent the food item or mixed dish.

The guidelines for conducting an accurate 24-hour food recall are sound and well organized. Commentary is provided by five experienced nutrition education assistants, adding insight as well as factual content. The strength of this videotape is its ability to describe the value of interpersonal skills and to demonstrate how these interpersonal skills are applied to achieve good recall results. Issues such as the presence of small, possibly disruptive, children in the room, confidentiality measures, and tolerating silence during the interview are aptly addressed. Commentator dialogue is lively, easy to understand, and helps keep the listener attentive. The background music also complements this instructional videotape and does not distract from the main content. Video and audio quality are excellent. One note of concern is that the female gender is referred to exclusively throughout the commentaries. Although this may be uncomfortable or irritating to the male viewers, the training value is not compromised. The 24-Hour Food Recall is highly recommended as a resource for all facilities and professionals that rely on accurate dietary recalls to meet their objectives.

Kim Edens, R.D., Graduate Student, Food Science and Nutrition, University of Wisconsin-Stout and Clinical Research Dietitian at the GCRC, Mayo Medical Center; Rochester; MN

Barbara Lohse Knous, Ph.D., R.D., C.D., Associate Professor and Director of the Dietetic Internship, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI 54751