FACTORS INFLUENCING ACCURACY OF DIETARY RECALL

This paper reviews factors that may affect a person''s ability to accurately recall and report past dietary intake. Intelligence, age, mood, attention, salience of the information, and frequency of exposure to a stimulus have all been demonstrated to influence performance on memory tasks. Their effects on memory for food habits have not been studied thoroughly but have potential application in this area. The use of memory strategies is suggested as one method to improve dietary recall. Redesign of food frequency questionnaires is another area worth exploring, especially if a few foods or nutrients are the main focus of study.