An overview of USDAʹs Dietary Intake Data System

Automated methods for collecting and processing food intake data have been developed by the Food Surveys Research Group at USDA to increase the quality and efficiency of food intake surveys and other dietary research studies. These automated methods are part of a Dietary Intake Data System, which consists of three computer systems and an extensive food and nutrient database. Computer systems included are the Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM) for collecting food intakes, the Post-Interview Processing System (PIPS) for reformatting data and assigning food codes, and Survey Net for final coding, quality review, and nutrient analysis. Features addressing data quality were prominent in the design of each of these systems. Components of the database, the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS), include food descriptions, food portions and their weights, and nutrients. These systems are currently used for research projects conducted by the USDAʹs Agricultural Research Service and for the dietary component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey beginning in 2002. The AMPM, translated into French and adapted to collect data for Canadian foods, will also be used in the next Canadian Community Health Survey.