Food Intake Measurement: University Dining Halls As An Extension Of The Laboratory

Measurement of dietary intake is complicated by various factors which make accuracy measurement difficult when the usual dietary intake is maintained. A method used recently by the authors to measure food intakes of subjects in a university residence hall dining room is described. The time costs of this method are shown to be similar to those of metabolic laboratory studies. The advantages of using the dining hall method are reduced financial costs and minimal disrup tion of subject's food habits. The need for an accurate but valid measure of food intake as a dependent variable in an experimental situation was met by the dining hall method.