Are diet diaries of value in recording dietary intake of sugars? A retrospective analysis of completion rates and information quality

Abstract

<p><b>Objectives</b> Current guidance recommends that dental practitioners should routinely give dietary advice to patients, with diet diaries as a tool to help diet assessment. We explored patients' compliance with diet-diaries usage in a paediatric clinic within a teaching hospital setting, where remuneration is not an issue. Objectives were to investigate associated factors affecting diet diaries return rate and the information obtained from returned diaries. <b>Methods</b> A retrospective study of 200 randomly selected clinical records of children aged 5–11 years who had received diet analysis and advice as part of a preventive dental care programme at a dental teaching hospital between 2010 and 2013. Clinical records, with a preventive care pro forma, were included in the study. Data on social and family history, DMFT–dmft, oral hygiene practices, dental attendance and dietary habits were obtained and compared with information given in completed diet-diaries. A deductive content analysis of returned diet-diaries was undertaken using a pre-developed coding scheme. <b>Results</b> Of 174 complete records included in this study, diet diaries were returned in 60 (34.5%) of them. Diet diaries were more likely to be returned by those children who reported that they regularly brushed their teeth (P <0.05), and those who came from smaller families (P <0.05). Content analysis of diet diaries enabled the identification of harmful types of foods and drinks in 100% of diaries. General dietary issues, frequency and between-meals intake of sugars were also all captured in the majority of diaries (95.0%, N = 56). Information on sugar amount (53.0%, N = 32), prolonged-contact with teeth (57.0%, N = 34) and near bedtime intakes (17.0%, N = 28) was reported in fewer diaries. <b>Conclusions</b> The return rate of diet-diaries in this setting was low, and associated with patients' demographic and oral health characteristics. Returned diet-diaries showed a varied range of missing important dietary information, such as sugar amount, which appears to compromise their validity as a diet assessment tool. Development of a more reliable and acceptable dietary assessment tool for use in the dental setting is needed.</p>