Scientists in the UK are launching a trial to improve the methods used to accurately record daily dietary habits. The study seeks to recruit 133 adults from various regions of the UK over a five-week period, with the goal of informing public health strategies against diseases related to poor nutrition, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
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The approach will integrate innovative tools, including wearable cameras, blood-monitoring devices, and metabolomic analysis of urine samples, supported by apps for self-reporting. Dr. Manfred Beckmann, lead principal investigator from Aberystwyth University, emphasized that traditional dietary recall surveys often lead to inaccurate data since they rely on participants’ memory. He stated, "One of the problems facing nutrition researchers is getting a true picture of people’s eating habits. Memory can be unreliable, and hence the data is not always robust. Additionally, people often change their diet when they know they’re being observed."
By implementing a new methodology, the researchers aim to capture a more accurate representation of individuals' diets, which could guide governments and policymakers in evaluating health improvement efforts and establishing more effective dietary recommendations.
In a recent interview, Dr. Thomas Wilson from Aberystwyth University’s Department of Life Sciences, a co-author of the preliminary research published in Nature Food, discussed the combination of various elements contributing to the upcoming study, including nutrition science, metabolomics, and sensor technologies.
Participants will utilize camera glasses to document their food and beverage intake while providing blood and urine samples from home to assess nutrient absorption. They will also fill out simplified online questionnaires regarding their dietary habits. This dual-method approach is designed to identify the most effective strategies for real-life dietary studies.
The research forms part of a larger five-year initiative led by Aberystwyth University, collaborating with the University of Reading, the University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London. Dr. Amanda Lloyd from Aberystwyth University highlighted that the use of blood and urine samples for testing dietary markers provides objective data. "We have already tested our methodology in controlled lab environments, but we will now evaluate its effectiveness in real-world scenarios, allowing participants to monitor their diets in their own homes."
The study is supported by a £2.5 million ($3.4 million) grant from the UK’s Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.