Pre-Conference Workshops

Full Day Workshops

Workshop 1

Nutrient and Components of Foods Used in Defining National Food, Nutrition, and Health Policy: Challenges and Strategies of Maintaining National Food Databases to Enhance Precision

Isabelle Rondeau, Health Canada, Food and Nutrition Directorate; Marie-France Verreault, Health Canada, Food and Nutrition Directorate; Hidemi Takimoto, National Institute of Health and Nutrition; National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition; Cho-il Kim, Seoul National University; Birdem Amoutzopoulos, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine; Kyle McKillop, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, US Department of Agriculture; Suzanne Morton, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, US Department of Agriculture; Renee Sobolewski*, Food Standards Australia New Zealand; Ilana Nogueira Bezerra*, Graduate Program of Nutrition and Health, State University of Ceará (UECE);  Dirce Maria Lobo Marchioni*, Public Health Faculty, University of São Paulo (USP); Tue Christensen*, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark; Anja Biltoft-Jensen*, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark; Kyungwon Oh*, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency; Marga Ocke*, Centre for Prevention, Lifestyle and Health, Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment; Caroline van Rossum*, Centre for Prevention, Lifestyle and Health, Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. *pending travel approval

A country’s national nutrient database provides the basic infrastructure for all aspects of food and nutrition research, including dietary and nutrition monitoring. This workshop will focus on how several countries across the globe are maintaining their national nutrient database used in dietary assessment and beyond given today’s challenges of limited resources, rapidly changing food supplies and markets, and increasing demands for characterizing food beyond traditional nutrients.

The data on the nutrient content of the foods provide the fundamental information used in a country’s food and health programs and policies.  Food supplies and markets across the globe are continually changing, with new foods being added to the market and changes in existing foods that can impact the nutrient profile. Changes to an existing food may include the amount or type of ingredient in a food or the addition of nutrients to a food.  In addition to the basic established nutrients measured analytically, other components that cannot be analyzed in a laboratory have emerged as important factors. These include the processing level, the amount of free or added sugars, and the amount of whole grain in a food.  Whether it be new foods on the market, changes in the nutrient content of an existing food, or other emerging components important to characterize a food, these elements present a host of challenges to maintaining the currency of national food databases.

Researchers from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and United States will present an in-depth picture of their experience and strategies to enhance precision in composition databases and provide examples of how the data are applied in their country’s food and health programs and policies.  The presentations will converge through data sharing concepts with potential for harmonization.

Following the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. 1. define food, nutrition, and health programs and policies that utilize the national nutrient database;
   2. identify critical challenges and scientific and technological advances and strategies employed in maintaining national nutrient databases that represent a nation’s typically consumed foods as well as foods specific to population subgroups; and
   3. describe national nutrient database resources available among countries and how they can be accessed.

Workshop 2

Novel Subjective and Objective Methods to Monitor Food Intake

Joke Verbeke, KU Leuven; Bart Vanrumste, KU Leuven; Chunzhuo Wang, KU Leuven; Elske Brouwer-Brolsma, Wageningen University; Guido Camps, Wageningen University

Food records, 24-hour recalls, and food frequency questionnaires have been critiqued for their limitations. Health research needs improved dietary assessment methods with higher accuracy and greater feasibility that are user-friendly and low-cost for use on a large scale in research and clinical settings. This workshop will introduce and familiarize participants with a range of novel approaches to assess dietary intake.

In the search for a more accurate and, especially, a more feasible method, experience sampling methodology (ESM) could be a promising alternative. ESM, originating from the field of psychology, is a momentary diary technique to assess symptoms, behaviour, and their related contextual factors in real-life. ESM involves sending unannounced prompt messages requesting an individual to report on behaviour, thoughts, or feelings at random moments during the day. The questions are sent through a mobile application to enhance feasibility. By completing a couple of momentary questions on dietary intake a couple of times a day, it is hypothesized that the burden for the participant is lower, the risk of recall bias is diminished, and accuracy is improved.

In addition to methods based in ESM, objective methods using new technologies could provide added value. A method of objectively measuring food-intake without relying on self-reporting tools is by using sensors that automatically capture eating activity. For example, wearables can be used to detect sounds or movements of the body that are associated with eating activity. Chewing activity can be detected with sensors worn in the ear or on the head or neck, while other body movements can be detected with wearables worn on the wrist or torso. In infants, smart textiles that sense belly extension can provide parents and healthcare providers with objective information on feeding behaviour and milk intake. Another approach is to use imaging techniques to detect and quantify types of food present on the plate. The advantage is the low entry point if a smartphone is used to take pictures. The disadvantage is that manually taking several pictures is inconvenient. Egocentric video solutions can be comfortable to use, but only provide an estimate of the consumed food. To accurately detect the amount of food consumed, weight sensors can be embedded in the kitchen or eating surface. Alternatively, smart plate-like solutions have been proposed.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• • define the four characteristics of ESM;
  • identify which ESM can be applied, based on the existing two approaches;
  • interpret the analytical complexity of ESM data;
  • use an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) wristband to detect food intake gestures automatically based on IMU data preprocessing, machine learning model deployment, and results interpretation; and
  • define at least two challenges to analyzing dietary assessment data using ESM and sensors.

Half-Day Workshops

Workshop 3

Strategies to Tailor Public Health Nutrition Tools for Unique Cultures, Contexts, and Countries

Dr. Carmen Byker Shanks, Center for Nutrition and Health Impact; Dr. Amy Yaroch, Center for Nutrition and Health Impact

Due to systemic barriers, populations that are minoritized and experience socio-economic disparities are less likely to meet dietary guidelines and report food security. Interventions designed to address these disparities, regardless of where they are located, typically incorporate “one-sized-fits-all’ measurement tools that may fail to account for unique cultures, contexts, and countries. If dietary assessment tools used to evaluate public health nutrition interventions do not represent participant cultures, contexts, and countries, there is potential to misrepresent findings. For instance, if a dietary assessment tool does not include the types of foods and beverages that populations consume, it is likely that the participant’s consumption will be inaccurately represented and the intervention’s impact may be over or underestimated.

This workshop will interactively present and incorporate hands-on strategies to tailor assessment tools for diverse people and environments. Workshop participants will learn and apply approaches to select, adjust, pilot, implement, and analyze tailored assessment tools. Strategies discussed will include conducting a landscape analysis, leveraging an advisory council, shifting power to those most affected, developing/conducting cognitive interviews, psychometric testing, and training.

Following the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. 1. Describe appropriate situations in which to tailor assessment tools to best capture nuances in outcomes;
   2. Identify robust approaches to assessment tools for diverse people and environments; and
   3. Discuss the importance of multiple methods to develop assessment tools that adequately capture intervention outcomes.

Workshop 4

Theory and Application of Intake-Balance Assessments Using Criterion and Surrogate Measures

Justin Jackson, University of Illinois Chicago (Organized by Dr. Paul Hibbing, University of Chicago)

This workshop will focus on estimating energy intake via the “intake-balance” method, a technique that is maturing in the literature. The intake-balance method draws on the principles of energy balance and the First Law of Thermodynamics to estimate energy intake over time based on measured energy expenditure and change in body composition. Attendees will learn the basic theory of the method (including its strengths and limitations with respect to the energy balance framework itself), as well as how it can be implemented when using criterion measures and/or surrogate measures (with reference to the strengths and limitations of each approach).

Following the workshop, participants will have:

1. 1. a working knowledge of the intake-balance method and relevant literature;
   2. awareness of, and access to, open-source tools that facilitate the application of intake-balance assessments; and
   3. examples to draw from when starting to use the tools themselves.

Related objectives include:

1. 1. understanding the method’s components (energy intake, expenditure, and storage) and subcomponents (e.g., sources of expenditure, energy content of fat mass versus fat-free mass), as well as how each can be measured and what the implications are for predicting energy intake.
   2. understanding where open-source tools for the intake-balance method can be found (e.g., on GitHub), and where they are being used in the literature.
   3. configuring a personal machine (e.g., laptop) to use open-source software for intake-balance assessments, then complete an assessment using sample data.

Workshop 5:

Developing A Comprehensive Food System Profile: Experiences Of Approaches, Engagement, Geospatial Mapping, And Recommendations For Policy Development

Anne Griffin, University of Limerick; Catherine Caball, PAUL Partnership, Limerick

This workshop will explore a mixed-methods approach to developing a comprehensive profile of the food system in Limerick city and county. Participants will learn how to combine quantitative geospatial data and household surveys with qualitative insights from in-depth interviews. This integrated methodology aims to identify and address food-related issues by engaging with the community and stakeholders. The session will focus on the development and use of the Food Finder mapping tool, informed by academic-community partnerships. By sharing experience and practical applications, the workshop promotes capacity building and networking within the international community. Participants will gain valuable insights into developing comprehensive food system profiles, engaging stakeholders effectively, utilizing geospatial technology, and formulating policy recommendations to address food-related issues.
Following the workshop, participants will:
1) understand mixed-methods research design, describing the integration of quantitative and qualitative data in food system research relate directly to developing comprehensive food system profiles;
2) gain skills in stakeholder engagement by identifying effective strategies for involving diverse stakeholders in food system research which are essential for gathering diverse insights and ensuring project sustainability;
3) learn geospatial analysis techniques by using GIS technology to map and analyze food availability and accessibility which are crucial for visualising and understanding the food environment; and
4) develop capacity for policy recommendation formulation by creating evidence-based recommendations to improve food security which align with the goal of influencing food policy.

Workshop 6:

The Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour (Asa24) Recall: Features And Data Files

Amy Miller, Westat; Beth Mittl, Westat; Dr. Kirsten Herrick, National Institute of Health, NCI; Isabelle  Rondeau, Health Canada; Dr. Sarah McNaughton, University of Queensland

The Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24) is a widely used dietary recall system used to collect dietary intake by 24-hour recall or single- or multi-day records. This workshop will provide researchers with an overview of the key features and optional modules of the ASA24 user interface, as well as an orientation to the output data files and recommended methods for reviewing data.

The workshop will present the Researcher Site and walk the attendees through creating an account and setting up studies, including both scheduled and unscheduled recalls as well as records. Attendees will learn about the optional study modules and new features of the Respondent Site. They will have an opportunity to practice setting up studies, if desired, and will have ample time for discussion. The workshop will also include an overview of the data files produced by ASA24 and recommended procedures for reviewing the data. 

Following the workshop, participants will:

1) understand the features and use of ASA24 to collect dietary intake data;

2) be familiar with resources available and where to find updated information; and

3) know the recommended methods for reviewing their ASA24 data.