Later sleep timing predicts accelerated summer weight gain among elementary school children: a prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES AND BACKGROUND: Social demands of the school-year and summer environment may affect children's sleep patterns and circadian rhythms during these periods. The current study examined differences in children's sleep and circadian-related behaviors during the school-year and summer and explored the association between sleep and circadian parameters and change in body mass index (BMI) during these time periods. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study with 119 children ages 5 to 8 years with three sequential BMI assessments: early school-year (fall), late school-year (spring), and beginning of the following school-year in Houston, Texas, USA. Sleep midpoint, sleep duration, variability of sleep midpoint, physical activity, and light exposure were estimated using wrist-worn accelerometry during the school-year (fall) and summer. To examine the effect of sleep parameters, physical activity level, and light exposure on change in BMI, growth curve modeling was conducted controlling for age, race, sex, and chronotype. RESULTS: Children's sleep midpoint shifted later by an average of 1.5 h during summer compared to the school-year. After controlling for covariates, later sleep midpoints predicted larger increases in BMI during summer, (γ = .0004, p = .03), but not during the school-year. Sleep duration, sleep midpoint variability, physical activity levels, and sedentary behavior were not associated with change in BMI during the school-year or summer. Females tended to increase their BMI at a faster rate during summer compared to males, γ = .06, p = .049. Greater amounts of outdoor light exposure (γ = -.01, p = .02) predicted smaller increases in school-year BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity prevention interventions may need to target different behaviors depending on whether children are in or out of school. Promotion of outdoor time during the school-year and earlier sleep times during the summer may be effective obesity prevention strategies during these respective times.

Reliability and validity of food portion size estimation from images using manual flexible digital virtual meshes.

OBJECTIVE: The eButton takes frontal images at 4s intervals throughout the day. A three-dimensional manually administered wire mesh procedure has been developed to quantify portion sizes from the two-dimensional images. The present paper reports a test of the inter-rater reliability and validity of use of the wire mesh procedure. DESIGN: Seventeen foods of diverse shapes and sizes served on plates, bowls and cups were selected to rigorously test the portion assessment procedure. A dietitian not involved in inter-rater reliability assessment used standard cups to independently measure the quantities of foods to generate the 'true' value for a total of seventy-five 'served' and seventy-five smaller 'left' images with diverse portion sizes. SETTING: The images appeared on the computer to which the digital wire meshes were applied. SUBJECTS: Two dietitians and three engineers independently estimated portion size of the larger ('served') and smaller ('left') images for the same foods. RESULTS: The engineers had higher reliability and validity than the dietitians. The dietitians had lower reliabilities and validities for the smaller more irregular images, but the engineers did not, suggesting training could overcome this limitation. The lower reliabilities and validities for foods served in bowls, compared with plates, suggest difficulties with the curved nature of the bowls. CONCLUSIONS: The wire mesh procedure is an important step forward in quantifying portion size, which has been subject to substantial self-report error. Improved training procedures are needed to overcome the identified problems.

The Narrative Impact of Active Video Games on Physical Activity Among Children: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Active video games (AVGs) capable of inducing physical activity offer an innovative approach to combating childhood obesity. Unfortunately, children's AVG game play decreases quickly, underscoring the need to identify novel methods for player engagement. Narratives have been demonstrated to influence behaviors. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a narrative would motivate increased AVG play, though a feasibility study that investigated the motivational effect of adding a previously developed narrative cutscene to an originally nonnarrative AVG, Nintendo Wii Sports Resort: Swordplay Showdown. METHODS: A total of 40 overweight and obese 8- to 11-year-olds equally divided by sex played the AVG. Half (n=20) were randomly assigned to a narrative group that watched the narrative cutscene before game play. The other half played the game without watching it. RESULTS: Children in the narrative group had significantly (P<.05) more steps per 10-second period (mean 3.2, SD 0.7) and overall (mean 523, SD 203) during game play compared with the nonnarrative group (10-second period: mean 2.7, SD 0.7; overall: mean 366, SD 172). CONCLUSIONS: The AVG with narrative induced increased physical activity. Additional research is needed to understand the mechanisms through which narrative increases physical activity during AVG game play.

Examination of parent-reported differences in children's daily screen use, sleep, and sleep hygiene behaviors during the school year and summer and their association with BMI.

OBJECTIVE: The current study examined school-summer differences in children's sleep patterns and sleep hygiene. Cross-sectional relationships with children's sleep, sleep hygiene, and weight status were explored during the school year and summer. METHODS: Children (5-8 years) and their parents (n = 197 dyads) were recruited from 4 schools in southeastern Texas and via Facebook. Parents reported children's school year and summer sleep, sleep hygiene, and screen media use. Children's body mass index (BMI) was objectively assessed at the beginning and end of the summer. Associations between children's sleep hygiene and screen media use, sleep duration, and weight status were explored. RESULTS: Children's sleep midpoint was earlier during the school year (1:54 AM ± 0.03) than in the summer (2:06 AM ± 0.03; t = 4.07, p < .0001). During summer, children increased their screen media use by 38 minutes (t = 2.32, p = .023) and decreased their caffeine intake from 7.43 to 7.0 (with scores ranging from 3 to 15; t = 2.83, p = .006). Greater sleep-inhibiting (ß = 0.40, p = .011) and fewer sleep-promoting (ß = -0.28, p = .049) behaviors during the school year were associated with having a higher BMI. There were no associations among sleep patterns, sleep hygiene and BMI during summer. CONCLUSIONS: More positive school year sleep hygiene behaviors were supportive of having a healthier weight status. Changes in these behaviors during the summer did not portend worse weight outcomes. Supporting families in the establishment of sleep-promoting behaviors, particularly during the school year may help address the child obesity epidemic.

Evaluation of a Circadian Rhythm and Sleep-Focused Mobile Health Intervention for the Prevention of Accelerated Summer Weight Gain Among Elementary School-Age Children: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: The i♥rhythm project is a mobile health adaptation of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy designed to promote healthy sleep and behavioral rhythms among 5-8-year olds during summer for the prevention of accelerated summer weight gain. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study will examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the i♥rhythm intervention. This will ensure that the research protocol and procedures work as desired and are acceptable to families in preparation for the fully powered randomized controlled trial. The proposed study will examine the willingness of participants to participate in the intervention and determine whether modifications to the intervention, procedures, and measures are needed before conducting a fully powered study. We will assess our ability to (1) recruit, consent, and retain participants; (2) deliver the intervention; (3) implement the study and assessment procedures; (4) assess the reliability of the proposed measures; and (5) assess the acceptability of the intervention and assessment protocol. METHODS: This study will employ a single-blinded 2-group randomized control design (treatment and no-treatment control) with randomization occurring after baseline (Time 0) and 3 additional evaluation periods (postintervention [Time 1], and 9 months [Time 2] and 12 months after intervention [Time 3]). A sample of 40 parent-child dyads will be recruited. RESULTS: This study was approved by the institutional review board of Baylor College of Medicine (H-47369). Recruitment began in March 2021. As of March 2022, data collection and recruitment are ongoing. CONCLUSIONS: This study will address the role of sleep and circadian rhythms in the prevention of accelerated summer weight gain and assess the intervention's effects on the long-term prevention of child obesity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04445740; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04445740. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/37002.

Seasonality of Children's Height and Weight and Their Contribution to Accelerated Summer Weight Gain.

Background: While children have been shown to have increased BMI during the summer compared to the school year, it is not known if this may be due to seasonal variations in height or weight separately. Methods: Trained nurses measured heights (cm) and weights (kg) in a cohort of Kindergarteners (n = 7648) twice per year from the beginning of kindergarten through 5th grade. Variation in height and weight by season (school year vs. summer) was examined using separate mixed-effects models. Season, sex, and BMI trajectory group were tested as fixed effects. Random effects included repeated measurements of time, students nested within a school, intercept, and slope for growth over time. Similar models using BMIz as the outcome examined the interaction of height or weight with season. Results: The rate of height gain was greater during the school year (∼Sept to April) compared to summer (∼April to Sept) (ß = -0.05, SE = 0.013, p < 0.0001). The rate of weight gain did not differ seasonally. Height gain was more strongly associated with increased BMIz during summer compared to the school year (ß =.02, SE = 0.005, p <0 .0001), mainly among children who remained healthy weight throughout elementary school (ß = 0.014, SE = 0.003, p < 0.0001) and those who transitioned to a healthier weight status (ß = 0.026, SE = 0.008, p = 0.004). We found a similar seasonal effect for the association between weight with BMIz among children who maintained a healthy weight status (ß = 0.014, SE = 0.014, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study indicates seasonality in children's height gain, gaining height at a faster rate during the school year compared to the summer, while weight gain remained relatively more consistent throughout the year. Seasonality in height and weight gain had the greatest impact on BMIz among children with a healthy weight status. Future research with more frequent measurements is needed to better understand the seasonal regulation of children's growth and weight gain.

Estimating circadian phase in elementary school children: leveraging advances in physiologically informed models of circadian entrainment and wearable devices.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Examine the ability of a physiologically based mathematical model of human circadian rhythms to predict circadian phase, as measured by salivary dim light melatonin onset (DLMO), in children compared to other proxy measurements of circadian phase (bedtime, sleep midpoint, and wake time). METHODS: As part of an ongoing clinical trial, a sample of 29 elementary school children (mean age: 7.4 ± .97 years) completed 7 days of wrist actigraphy before a lab visit to assess DLMO. Hourly salivary melatonin samples were collected under dim light conditions (<5 lx). Data from actigraphy were used to generate predictions of circadian phase using both a physiologically based circadian limit cycle oscillator mathematical model (Hannay model), and published regression equations that utilize average sleep onset, midpoint, and offset to predict DLMO. Agreement of proxy predictions with measured DLMO were assessed and compared. RESULTS: DLMO predictions using the Hannay model outperformed DLMO predictions based on children's sleep/wake parameters with a Lin's Concordance Correlation Coefficient (LinCCC) of 0.79 compared to 0.41-0.59 for sleep/wake parameters. The mean absolute error was 31 min for the Hannay model compared to 35-38 min for the sleep/wake variables. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that sleep/wake behaviors were weak proxies of DLMO phase in children, but mathematical models using data collected from wearable data can be used to improve the accuracy of those predictions. Additional research is needed to better adapt these adult models for use in children. CLINICAL TRIAL: The i Heart Rhythm Project: Healthy Sleep and Behavioral Rhythms for Obesity Prevention https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04445740.

Children's accuracy of portion size estimation using digital food images: effects of interface design and size of image on computer screen.

OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of image size and presence of size cues on the accuracy of portion size estimation by children. DESIGN: Children were randomly assigned to seeing images with or without food size cues (utensils and checked tablecloth) and were presented with sixteen food models (foods commonly eaten by children) in varying portion sizes, one at a time. They estimated each food model's portion size by selecting a digital food image. The same food images were presented in two ways: (i) as small, graduated portion size images all on one screen or (ii) by scrolling across large, graduated portion size images, one per sequential screen. SETTING: Laboratory-based with computer and food models. SUBJECTS: Volunteer multi-ethnic sample of 120 children, equally distributed by gender and ages (8 to 13 years) in 2008-2009. RESULTS: Average percentage of correctly classified foods was 60·3 %. There were no differences in accuracy by any design factor or demographic characteristic. Multiple small pictures on the screen at once took half the time to estimate portion size compared with scrolling through large pictures. Larger pictures had more overestimation of size. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple images of successively larger portion sizes of a food on one computer screen facilitated quicker portion size responses with no decrease in accuracy. This is the method of choice for portion size estimation on a computer.

Videogames That Encourage Healthy Behavior Did Not Alter Fasting Insulin or Other Diabetes Risks in Children: Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Previous research indicates games for health have substantial promise in promoting change in children's diet and physical activity (PA) behavior for obesity and diabetes prevention, but the research has generally not been rigorous. The study reported here was an efficacy trial of two role-playing videogames played in sequence, "Escape from Diab" (hereinafter called Diab) and "Nanoswarm: Invasion from Inner Space" (hereinafter called Nano), on diabetes and obesity risk factors: fasting insulin and body mass index (BMI), and risk-related behaviors: diet, PA, and sedentary behavior (SB). Design: A two-group (treatment vs. wait list control) randomized clinical trial was used with baseline, immediate postintervention (∼3 months postbaseline), and 2 months postassessments. Intervention: Diab and Nano were desktop or laptop role-playing videogames with nine sessions (each episode/session lasting ∼60 minutes). Two storylines attempted to immerse players and used ethnically diverse characters to model desired behaviors. Tailored goal setting, problem solving, and motivational statements were used. Methods: A sample of 200 overweight or obese children (ages 10-12 years from 85th to 99th BMI percentile [%ile]) was recruited, primarily using a volunteer list. Fasting insulin was the primary dependent variable. BMI, fruit, vegetable and sweetened beverage intakes, PA, and SBs were secondary outcomes. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test for the treatment effects. Results: No significant differences were detected in any of the tested outcome variables. Conclusions: The lack of differences may indicate that games cannot change dietary behaviors and thereby not change-related clinical outcomes. Alternatively, there seem to have been changes in (1) the types of videogames children expect and like to play since a pilot study was conducted, (2) productization challenges, and/or (3) problems in staff management of the trial. All may have contributed to the lack of effect.

Participant Outcomes from Methods of Recruitment for Videogame Research.

OBJECTIVE: The most productive methods of recruitment for a videogame for health (G4H) trial are not known. Success or failure of recruitment methods has been reported for a variety of clinical trials, but few specifically for G4H trials. This study's goal was to recruit 444 overweight or obese (body mass index percentile between the 84.5th-99.4th percentiles) children between the ages of 10-12 years. The article reports the results of different methods of participant recruitment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants had to agree to three fasting blood samples (baseline, immediately after, and 2 months later); be willing to wear an accelerometer for 7 days at each assessment; read and speak English fluently (because the games were in English); have no history of any condition that would affect what he/she could eat or how much physical activity he/she could get; and have an eligible home computer purchased in the last 5 years with high-speed internet. Hardware criteria reflected the types of computers upon which Diab-Nano could be effectively played. Recruitment was conducted over a 35-month period and included electronic media, print advertising, community recruitment, and an internal volunteer list. Respondents were guided to a web-based screening questionnaire that asked for source of hearing about the study. RESULTS: Although diverse recruitment methods were used, slow recruitment resulted in obtaining only 45% of the recruitment goal (n = 199). Electronic media (e.g., radio, television, and internet), which reached millions of targeted parents, resulted in only 76 respondents, of whom 13 became participants; print media (e.g., magazine, newsletter/newspaper, and mail), which also reached large numbers of parents, resulted in 192 respondents, of whom 19 became participants; community recruitment (e.g., school, friend or family, doctors office, flyer, work, community program) resulted in 162 respondents, of whom 38 became participants; and the internal volunteer list resulted in 413 respondents, of whom 128 became participants. CONCLUSION: Inclusionary and exclusionary criteria and restricted access by gatekeepers could be deterrents to successful recruitment. The documented payoff of alternative comprehensive methods of recruitment should benefit other investigations in optimally allocating their recruitment resources.

Dietary Assessment with a Wearable Camera among Children: Feasibility and Intercoder Reliability.

BACKGROUND: The eButton, a multisensor device worn on the chest, uses a camera to passively capture images of everything in front of the child throughout the day. These images can be analyzed to provide a passive method of dietary intake assessment. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the eButton's feasibility and intercoder reliability for dietary intake assessment. DESIGN: Children were recruited in the summer and fall of 2015, in Houston, TX, to wear the eButton to take 2 full days of dietary images, and the child-parent dyad participated in a following-day interview to verify what dietitians recorded from the images. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Thirty 9- to 13-year-old children participated during days convenient to them. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two dietitians independently manually reviewed the images to identify eating events, foods in those events, and portion sizes. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Descriptive statistics of agreements and disagreements were calculated between dietitians and with children; t tests and Bland-Altman plots of differences in total kilocalories were calculated between dietitians and between initial dietitian estimates and those finalized after the verification interviews. RESULTS: The dietitians agreed on the identity of 60.5% of the 1,026 foods but disagreed on 28.6% of the foods and on the names for 10.8% of the foods. After the verification interviews, the dietitians agreed with the child-parent dyads on the identity of 77.0% of the 921 foods; the child-parent dyad identified 12.4% of the day's foods when images were not available or not clear; the child-parent dyad clarified that 5.4% of the foods identified were not consumed by the child; and the child-parent dyad clarified the identity of 5.2% of the foods. A software-based approach (three-dimensional wire mesh) could be used to estimate portion size on 24% of the foods, and professional judgment was required for 67.8%. Mean caloric intakes per day were not statistically significantly different between dietitians but were different between dietitians and child-parent dyads in total and on day 2. CONCLUSIONS: An early test of intercoder reliability of an all-day image method of dietary intake assessment obtained intercoder agreement between the two dietitians processing these images of intraclass correlation coefficient=0.67. A following-day verification interview with the child and parent was necessary to ensure completeness of estimates. Several feasibility problems occurred, which may be remedied with additional participant and dietitian training and further technological development.

Mommio's Recipe Box: Assessment of the Cooking Habits of Mothers of Preschoolers and Their Perceptions of Recipes for a Video Game.

BACKGROUND: Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet because they help prevent several chronic diseases. Mothers of preschoolers reported difficulty getting their young children to eat vegetables, and many did not know how to cook child-pleasing recipes. OBJECTIVE: The cooking habits of mothers of preschoolers, their perceptions of recipes designed for their children, and the involvement of their children in food preparation were assessed to inform a food parenting video game called Mommio. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Eligibility criteria included mothers of 3- to 5-year-old children who reported difficulty getting their children to eat vegetables. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire with questions about their food preparation practices. They were asked to select up to 4 of the 10 provided recipes they wanted to try and to prepare and report back on their experiences. RESULTS: Most (46) of the 50 recipes included in Mommio's in-game recipe box were evaluated at least once and some up to 5 times with a total of 85 evaluations. This well-educated, mostly employed, sample of 27 mothers of preschoolers preferred simple, quick recipes. They ate primarily at home, made dinners from scratch, and indicated that the 46 recipes were generally simple, quick, and easy to prepare. Involvement in preparation enhanced their child's acceptance of the food. Prior food and preparation preferences influenced the children's acceptance of the dish at the ensuing meal. CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of home recipe preparation indicated that including a recipe selection and preparation component in a food parenting video game could be attractive and may enhance effectiveness. Mothers reported that the recipes provided were generally easy to prepare, tasted good, and the instructions were easy to understand, suggesting they could be helpful to the mothers when playing a vegetable parenting game. Some mothers reported that involving their children in recipe preparation influenced their children's willingness to eat the vegetables. The highest rated recipes are being included in the game, and mothers will be encouraged to involve their children in recipe preparation.

Assessing Feedback in a Mobile Videogame.

BACKGROUND: Player feedback is an important part of serious games, although there is no consensus regarding its delivery or optimal content. "Mommio" is a serious game designed to help mothers motivate their preschoolers to eat vegetables. The purpose of this study was to assess optimal format and content of player feedback for use in "Mommio." MATERIALS AND METHODS: The current study posed 36 potential "Mommio" gameplay feedback statements to 20 mothers using a Web survey and interview. Mothers were asked about the meaning and helpfulness of each feedback statement. RESULTS: Several themes emerged upon thematic analysis, including identifying an effective alternative in the case of corrective feedback, avoiding vague wording, using succinct and correct grammar, avoiding provocation of guilt, and clearly identifying why players' game choice was correct or incorrect. CONCLUSIONS: Guidelines are proposed for future feedback statements.

The Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall for Children, 2012 Version, for Youth Aged 9 to 11 Years: A Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: Valid methods of diet assessment are important for nutrition research and practice, but can be difficult with children. OBJECTIVE: To validate the 2012 version of the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall for Children (ASA24-Kids-2012), a self-administered web-based 24-hour dietary recall (24hDR) instrument, among children aged 9 to 11 years, in two sites. DESIGN: Quasiexperimental. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: In one site, trained staff members observed and recorded foods and drinks consumed by children (n=38) during school lunch. The next day, the observed children completed both ASA24-Kids-2012 and an interviewer-administered 24hDR in a randomized order. Procedures in a second site (n=31) were similar, except observations occurred during dinner in a community location. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Foods were classified as matches (reported and consumed), intrusions (reported, but not consumed), or omissions (not reported, but consumed) for each participant. Rates of matches, intrusions, and omissions were calculated. Rates were compared between each recall method using repeated measures analysis of covariance. For matched foods, the authors determined correlation coefficients between observed and reported serving sizes. RESULTS: Match, intrusion, and omission rates between ASA24-Kids-2012 and observed intakes in Site 1 were 37%, 27%, and 35%, respectively. Comparable rates for interviewer-administered 24hDRs were 57%, 20%, and 23%, respectively. In Site 2, match, intrusion, and omission rates between ASA24-Kids-2012 and observed intakes were 53%, 12%, and 36%, respectively, vs 76% matches, 9% intrusions, and 15% omissions for interviewer-administered 24hDRs. The relationship strength between reported and observed serving sizes for matched foods was 0.18 in Site 1 and 0.09 in Site 2 for ASA24-Kids-2012, and 0.46 in Site 1 and 0.11 in Site 2 for interviewer-administered 24hDRs. CONCLUSIONS: ASA24-Kids-2012 was less accurate than interviewer-administered 24hDRs when compared with observed intakes, but both performed poorly. Additional research should assess the age at which children can complete recalls without the help of a parent or guardian, as well as elucidate under which circumstances recalls can reasonably be used among children.

Training Vegetable Parenting Practices Through a Mobile Game: Iterative Qualitative Alpha Test.

BACKGROUND: Vegetable consumption protects against chronic diseases, but many young children do not eat vegetables. One quest within the mobile application Mommio was developed to train mothers of preschoolers in effective vegetable parenting practices, or ways to approach getting their child to eat and enjoy vegetables. A much earlier version of the game, then called Kiddio, was alpha tested previously, but the game has since evolved in key ways. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to alpha test the first quest, substantiate earlier findings and obtain feedback on new game features to develop an effective, compelling parenting game. METHODS: Mothers of preschool children (n=20) played a single quest of Mommio 2 to 4 times, immediately after which a semi-structured interview about their experience was completed. Interviews were transcribed and double coded using thematic analysis methods. RESULTS: Mothers generally liked the game, finding it realistic and engaging. Some participants had difficulties with mechanics for moving around the 3-D environment. Tips and hints were well received, and further expansion and customization were desired. CONCLUSIONS: Earlier findings were supported, though Mommio players reported more enjoyment than Kiddio players. Continued development will include more user-friendly mechanics, customization, opportunities for environment interaction, and food parenting scenarios.

Comparison of a Web-based versus traditional diet recall among children.

Self-administered instruments offer a low-cost diet assessment method for use in adult and pediatric populations. This study tested whether 8- to 13-year-old children could complete an early version of the Automated Self Administered 24-hour diet recall (ASA24) and how this compared to an interviewer-administered 24-hour diet recall. One-hundred twenty 8- to 13-year-old children were recruited in Houston from June through August 2009 and randomly assigned to complete either the ASA24 or an interviewer-administered 24-hour diet recall, followed by the other recall mode covering the same time interval. Multivariate analysis of variance, testing for differences by age, sex, and ethnic/racial group, were applied to percentages of food matches, intrusions, and omissions between reports on the ASA24 and the interviewer-administered 24-hour diet recall. For the ASA24, qualitative findings were reported regarding ease of use. Overall matches between interviewer-administered and ASA24 self-administered 24-hour diet recall was 47.8%. Matches were significantly lower among younger (8- to 9-year-old) compared with older (10- to 13-year-old) children. Omissions on ASA24 (18.9% overall) were most common among 8-year-olds and intermediate among 9-year-olds. Eight- and 9-year-olds had substantial difficulties and often required aid in completing ASA24. Findings from this study suggest that a simpler version of an Internet-based diet recall program would be easier for children to use.

Tests of the accuracy and speed of categorizing foods into child vs professional categories using two methods of browsing with children.

This research tested whether children could categorize foods more accurately and speedily when presented with child-generated rather than professionally generated food categories, and whether a graphically appealing browse procedure similar to the Apple iTunes (Cupertino, CA) "cover flow" graphical user interface accomplished this better than the more common tree-view structure. In Fall 2008, 104 multiethnic children ages 8 to 13 were recruited at the Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX) and randomly assigned to two browse procedures: cover flow (collages of foods in a category) or tree view (food categories in a list). Within each browse condition children categorized the same randomly ordered 26 diverse foods to both child and professionally organized categories (with method randomly sequenced per child). Acceptance of categorization was determined by registered dietitians. Speed of categorization was recorded by the computer. Differences between methods were determined by repeated measures analysis of variance. Younger children (8 to 9 years old) tended to have lower acceptance and longer speeds of categorization. The quickest categorization was obtained with child categories in a tree structure. Computerized dietary reporting by children can use child-generated food categories and tree structures to organize foods for browsing in a hierarchically organized structure to enhance speed of categorization, but not accuracy. A computerized recall may not be appropriate for children 9 years of age or younger.