Background/Objectives: Among young children, self-reported dietary assessment has unique challenges, limiting ability to accurately assess intake. This review describes methods used to support accuracy of self-reported dietary intake, including support tools, proxy reporting, and methods to determine diet misreporting and its prevalence, for assessing energy intake (EI) among young children (2–12 years). Methods: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, relevant databases were searched in October 2024 and November 2025. Studies published since 2000, using a self-reported dietary assessment methodology and reporting on total EI among children between the ages of 2 and 12 years, were included. Two reviewers completed title and abstract screening. After achieving a 94% inter-rater agreement on full-text review of a random sample of 20% of texts, the remaining full texts were reviewed by a single reviewer. Results: The 52 included articles reported 24-h dietary recalls (n = 23) and food records (n = 14) as the most common individual assessment methods. The use of at least one support tool (i.e., visual aids, household utensils) was commonly reported (n = 36); however, using multiple support tools (n = 13) or technology-based supports (n = 1) was less common. Proxy reporting was frequently reported (n = 31) and occurred in all studies in which children were ≤ 5 years; however, few studies used multiple-proxy reporters (n = 6). A limited number of studies (n = 9; 17%) reported that caregivers and children were trained for the dietary assessment, but none actually described in detail what the training entailed for using support tools or proxy reporting. Only 40% of studies reported procedures for identifying dietary misreporting; among those that did, methodologies varied, yet all identified evidence of dietary misreporting. Conclusions: Self-reported dietary assessment used varying strategies to support assessment accuracy. Evaluating which support tool, combination of support tools, or the use of proxy or multiple-proxy reporters, relative to the burden that may be associated with their use, on increasing accuracy of self-reported dietary intake is needed. Additionally, details on implemented methodologies need to be consistently reported to support replication.

This publication outlines the rationale and protocol for the Daily Eating Patterns for Total Health (DEPTH) trial, detailing its motivation, aims, design, intervention, and measures. This randomized clinical trial examines how time-based energy goals applied within a 12-month obesity care lifestyle intervention influences percent weight loss, dietary temporal patterns, sleep regularity, and appetite regulation. One hundred seventy-four adults (ages: 25-60 y; BMI: 27-45 kg/m²) will be randomized to one of three interventions: DEPTH-Morning, DEPTH-Evening, or DEPTH. All participants will receive 33 sessions of an obesity care lifestyle intervention that includes five separate dietary goals: (1) 1200-1500 kcal/day, (2) ≤ 30% energy from fat, (3) a 12-h eating window, (4) first eating occasion within 60 min of awakening, and (5) 3 meals and 1 snack per day. They will also aim for 200 min/wk. of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity. DEPTH-Morning participants will be given the goals to consume 70% of energy in two meals and one snack during the first six hours of the 12-h eating window, and 30% of energy in one meal in the last six hours of the eating window (morning-loaded distribution). DEPTH-Evening will be given goals to adopt the opposite pattern (afternoon/evening-loaded distribution). DEPTH participants will have no specific time-based energy intake goals. Measures of anthropometrics, dietary intake, sleep, and appetite regulation will be assessed at 0, 3, 6, and 12-months. This study will provide insights into the role of time-based energy intake goals, a form of chrononutrition, on obesity care outcomes.