Exploring the Use of myfood24 (an Online Nutritional Assessment Tool) in Clinical Dietetic Practice

Exploring the Use of myfood24 (an Online Nutritional Assessment Tool) in Clinical Dietetic Practice

Dietary assessment is a key component of the dietetic care process. Assessments usually take place within dietetic consultations using methods such as 24-hour recall and paper food diaries. This study will examine the feasibility of using an online dietary assessment tool, myfood24 as an alternative to current dietary assessment practices and explore the barriers and facilitators to its use within dietetic clinical practice. This will be a mixed method study using questionnaires and semi structures interviews with both dietitians and patients. Dietitians, and patients with a range of clinical conditions referred to an NHS Dietetic Service, will be recruited. Patients will be asked to trial the system to record their food intake prior to their dietetic appointment. This data will then be used for the dietary assessment within the consultation. Following this, patients and dietitians will be interviewed about their experiences. Quantitative data will be statistically analysed, and thematic analysis will be used to analyse qualitative data.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged over 18 years
• Referred to the STH Dietetic Department
• Willing and able to attend a dietetic out-patient appointment
• Can read and understand English
• Have access to the internet
• Willing to engage in technology as part of their care
• Have or willing to obtain their own email address

Exclusion Criteria:

• Under 18 years
• Unable or unwilling to attend a dietetic out-patient appointment
• Unable to read and understand English
• No access to the internet
• Unwilling to engage in technology as part of their care
• Does not have or unwilling to obtain their own email address