Analysis of food intake.
In the clinical setting, the requirement for detailed analysis of food intake is not often necessary.
Limitations of each assessment method make the assessment of intake an estimation rather than an exact measurement.
In general, though, the analysis method will be determined by how the information will be used. For example, in order to determine whether an intervention to change the patient's food choices has improved intake, a direct observation of food
intake may be made and then analyzed by simply estimating the energy value and protein content of the food recorded,
using an established method such as the diabetic exchange list.