Measures that capture diet as validly and reliably as possible are cornerstones of nutritional research, and mobile-based devices offer new opportunities to improve and simplify data collection. The balance between precision and acceptability of these data collection tools remains debated, and rigorous validations are warranted. Our objective was to develop and evaluate an electronic mobile-based food record for a research setting. We developed e-CA, which includes almost 900 foods and beverages classified in 14 categories and 60 subcategories. e-CA was evaluated using three different methods: (1) usability and acceptability through a logbook and qualitative interviews; (2) dietary intake accuracy through comparison with 2 unannounced 24-h phone recalls on overlapping days; and (3) reliability and process comparison with a paper-based food record in a laboratory setting with a randomized design. e-CA proved to be intuitive and practical and was perceived as modern, trendy, and fun. Comparisons of e-CA with 24-h telephone recalls or paper-based food records in a laboratory setting with two small convenient samples showed good agreement but highlighted the well-known difficulty of estimating portion sizes and a necessary learning time to use the app. e-CA is a functional tool that has the potential to facilitate food intake measurement for research by increasing the pleasure of using the food record tool and reducing the perceived burden for the participants. It also decreases the workload, costs and the risk of transcription errors for researchers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends reducing free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake (TEI) due to their potential implications in weight gain and dental caries. Our objectives were to (1) estimate the intake of total, added, and free sugars, (2) define the main sugar sources, and (3) evaluate the adherence to sugar guidelines. The first national nutrition survey 2014–2015 included non-institutional adults aged 18–75 years. Diet was assessed with two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls in 2057 participants. Added and free sugar content was systematically estimated by two dietitians using available information from the manufacturer and/or standard recipe/composition. Usual daily intake distributions were modeled and weighted for sampling design, non-response, weekdays, and seasons. Total, added, and free sugar intake was respectively 107 g (±44), 53 g (±36), and 65 g (±40), representing 19%, 9%, and 11% of TEI. Sugar consumption was higher among younger adults and lower among people living in the Italian-speaking region. The three main food sources of free sugars were: (1) sweet products (47% of total free sugars), in particular sweet spreads (15%) and cakes/cookies (11%); (2) beverages (29%), mainly fruit and vegetable juices (13%), and sugar-sweetened beverages (12%, but 20% in younger adults); and (3) dairy products (9%), with yogurt accounting for 6%. Respectively, 44% of women and 45% of men had free sugar intake below 10% of TEI. Of people aged between 18–29, 30–64, and 65–75 years, 36%, 45%, and 53% had free sugar intake below 10% of TEI, respectively. The prevalence of Swiss people with free sugar intake that was <5% of the TEI was 8%. Adherence to the WHO recommendations guidelines was generally low in Switzerland, particularly among young adults, and in line with other high-income countries.

Nutritional management is an important component of the treatment of pediatric overweight and obesity, but clinicians struggle to keep abreast with the abundant literature. Therefore, our aim is to provide a tool that integrates the current recommendations and clinical expertise to assist dietitians and other practitioners in their decision making about the nutritional management of pediatric overweight and obesity. To construct this practice-based evidence-informed framework, we conducted a systematic review of the guidelines on nutritional management of pediatric overweight or obesity in 2 databases and in the grey literature. We analyzed and synthesized recommendations of 17 guidelines. We selected the recommendations that were common to at least 30% of the guidelines and added by consensus the recommendations relevant to clinical expertise. Finally, we structured the framework according to the Nutritional Care Process in collaboration with a specialized team of dietitians who assessed its validity in clinical practice. The framework contributes to facilitate the integration of evidence-based practice for dietitians by synthesizing the current evidence, supporting clinical expertise, and promoting structured care following Nutrition Care Process model for children and adolescents with obesity.

Objective: To assess dietary intake, eating patterns, physical activity and eating behaviors, and to explore strategies and perceptions of the experience of weight maintenance in weight loss maintainers (weight loss maintenance (WLM) ≥ 10% weight loss maintained for ≥1 year) and in matched controls with a lifetime stable normal weight. Methods: Volunteers (32) were recruited by a snowball procedure in this cross-sectional, mixed-methods study. Diet, physical activity, and eating behaviors were assessed with validated questionnaires. Strategies and experiences were investigated during interviews. Descriptive coding, thematic analysis (qualitative data) as well as descriptive analysis and t-tests (quantitative data) were performed. Results: Both groups had similar energy and macronutrient consumption. Those in the WLM group reported higher levels of exercise and scored higher on several dimensions of eating disorders. Four themes - ‘food choices,' ‘quantities and portion control,' ‘physical activity', and ‘burden' - emerged from the qualitative data. Both groups used similar weight maintenance strategies, but those in the WLM group experienced a higher burden, expressing effortful control which contrasted with the control group's confidence in their internal cues. Conclusion: Our results show an additional burden related with maintaining weight loss compared to keeping a stable normal weight. They provide evidence to devise interventions that will address the difficulty of regulating intake.