Automated camera-phone experience with the frequency of imaging necessary to capture diet.

Camera-enabled cell phones provide an opportunity to strengthen dietary recall through automated imaging of foods eaten during a specified period. To explore the frequency of imaging needed to capture all foods eaten, we examined the number of images of individual foods consumed in a pilot study of automated imaging using camera phones set to an image-capture frequency of one snapshot every 10 seconds. Food images were tallied from 10 young adult subjects who wore the phone continuously during the work day and consented to share their images. Based on the number of images received for each eating experience, the pilot data suggest that automated capturing of images at a frequency of once every 10 seconds is adequate for recording foods consumed during regular meals, whereas a greater frequency of imaging is necessary to capture snacks and beverages eaten quickly.