PPT Slide
- Backgrounds and purposes: The National Nutrition Survey, Japan (J-NNS) has been annually conducted since 1946, providing variable information for food and nutrition policy. Although dietary assessment is a core component of the J-NNS, most of the data handling procedures have been manually done by dietitians at both local (public health centers) and central (Ministry of Health and Welfare) level. These manual works take long time and much man-power, and are likely to cause more data handing errors. The aim of this project is to develop a new computer network system for data handling, transfer, and analysis at local and central levels for better operation of J-NNS and also regional nutrition surveys conducted at prefecture levels.
- Methods: [Phase I] To investigate possible problems during a process of data handling, we reviewed exclusively a sample of dietary recording sheets and evaluated the performance of dietitians for coding the dietary data. [Phase II] We developed a beta-version of client software for the dietitians at a local level and evaluated its user-interface, effectiveness for saving time, and feasibility in the field settings. [Phase III] We designed a new system including automated coding of the dietary data, error checking, printing feedback materials, database management, data transfer, data analysis and automated tabulation.
- Results and discussion: Evidence indicates that the conventional manual work for dietary coding will not diminish the possible coding errors. The new system we developed can substantially lessen the errors and standardize the coding rule by incorporating the appropriate databases of foods and dishes. The systematic data checking, data analysis, and tabulation are expected to save time and cost for the operation of the J-NNS and regional nutrition surveys. We are planning to develop a multi-country version of the system on a basis of the prototype of this product.