Three nonconsecutive 24-h dietary recalls that included 2
weekdays and 1 weekend day were conducted, and the children
were the primary respondents. Nine validation studies have provided
support for the use of 24-h dietary recalls in children as
young as third-grade children (15–23), and 24-h dietary recalls
are considered the most appropriate method to collect dietary
data from diverse cultural groups (24). Registered dietitians collected
the recalls by using standard protocols in the Nutrition
Data System for Research (NDS-R, versions 4.01 and 4.02) (25).
In addition, for each meal or snack, the children were asked
whether they participated in any of the following activities while
eating: watching television, watching a videotape or movie on a
videocassette recorder or video disk, playing video games or
playing on a computer, watching a movie at the theatre, doing
homework, reading (other than for homework), playing inside,
playing outside, or riding in a car, van, bus, or truck. This information
was linked to the data on the foods and nutrients consumed
during each meal or snack. The first recall was conducted
face-to-face, and the remaining 2 recalls were collected over the
telephone. The children’s mothers were consulted on both the
face-to-face and telephone recalls to clarify food details, foodpreparation
methods, or brand names that the children could not
recall. To check the interinterviewer reliability of the dietary
recalls, a subsample of 22 (5%) telephone recalls were taperecorded
and reentered by a second dietitian.