Development of a nutrient dataset based on a standardized approach for a nutrition survey conducted in the United Arab Emirates

It is challenging to reduce errors in dietary assessment. It requires the use of a rigorous dietary assessment tool (DAT) and reliable food composition tables or food composition databases (FCTs/FCDBs) for calculating nutrient intake. As part of the validation study of a DAT to be used in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we developed an FCT to calculate the nutrient composition of reported foods. We have described the process of matching 532 foods reported in three 24-h recalls (24-HRs) by a convenient sample of 60 volunteers using commercial nutrition analysis software “Nutritionist Pro™” to process reported foods and incorporating other sources of nutrient data when appropriate (FCDBs from FoodEXplorer Interface™, regional FCTs, PhD thesis, and recipe calculation). The food-matching process was standardized according to the Food and Agriculture Organization/International Network of Food Data Systems guidelines to harmonize the approach and minimize errors. This approach resulted in the adequate matching of 97 % of the reported foods. The United States Department of Agriculture Standard Reference (USDA SR) DB, recipe calculation and the United Kingdom DB were the primary sources of nutrient data. The use of high-quality DBs from different countries was adequate because UAE imports most foods from various countries worldwide.