Can you go back into ASA24 and retrieve your records at a later date?

November 16, 2025 •

4 min read

In 2025, the ASA24 system had collected more than 1.1 million recall or record days. Whether you can go back into ASA24 and retrieve your records later depends entirely on your study type and completion status.

Quick Summary

After completion, accessing ASA24 dietary records depends on the study type and if the reporting period ended. Recall study participants generally cannot log back to modify or retrieve data, but food record study users may have a limited window to make changes.

Key Points

Limited Participant Access: Access to ASA24 records is heavily restricted after the reporting window or recall session ends.
Completed Recalls are Final: Once a participant finishes a 24-hour recall, they cannot modify or retrieve it.
Food Records Allow a Small Grace Period: For multi-day food records, participants often have one day after their last report to make changes.
Researchers Control Data Retrieval: The study administrator can retrieve and download complete, long-term records.
Contact Administrator for Records: Participants must contact the administrator to request a copy of their data or a nutrition report after access ends.
Data is Saved During Entry: A participant's data is automatically saved throughout the open session during the entry process.

Understanding ASA24 Access and Records

The Automated Self-Administered 24-hour (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool is a web-based system primarily used in research to collect detailed dietary intake data from participants. The system's design separates user roles into a respondent (the participant) and a researcher (the study administrator). This distinction is crucial for understanding who can access and retrieve data and when.

For participants, the ability to go back and access records is limited and highly dependent on the type of study they are completing. There are two primary data collection methods within ASA24: the 24-hour dietary recall and the multi-day food record.

24-Hour Dietary Recall Records

In a 24-hour dietary recall study, a participant reports all foods and drinks consumed during the previous day or the past 24 hours in a single session. Once the participant indicates they are finished with the recall, the session is considered complete. According to the ASA24 Troubleshooting Guide, a participant cannot log back in to modify this completed data. The recall is closed once the participant is done or the reporting period (typically 24 to 36 hours, as defined by the researcher) has lapsed.

Food Record (Food Diary) Records

For multi-day food record studies, respondents log in to report their food and drink intake throughout the day or over consecutive days. This method offers more flexibility for participants to review and update their records during the reporting window. Specifically, participants can often log in on the day after their last reporting day to make final changes. The "Change Day" button allows them to navigate to previous days within their current record to add or edit entries. This window, however, is not indefinite. Once the entire multi-day record is marked as complete or the study's designated time frame ends, access is cut off.

Participant vs. Researcher Retrieval

The most significant distinction regarding data retrieval in ASA24 is the difference in access between participants and researchers. Participants' access is temporary, while researchers have long-term access and control over the study data.

Participant Access Limitations:

Recall Studies: No access after initial completion.
Food Record Studies: A short window to edit/complete data, typically one day after the last report day.
Post-Study Access: Cannot retrieve their raw, completed records at a later date directly from the system. Records are stored securely in a database accessible only to the research team.

Researcher Access and Data Retrieval:

Full Control: Researchers manage study logistics, respondent accounts, and data collection through the ASA24 Researcher website.
Downloadable Files: Researchers can request and download a variety of analytical files containing the collected nutrient and food group data for all respondents or a specified range.
Long-Term Data: Study data remains available on the ASA24 system for researchers to retrieve before the version is retired. Researchers are notified when a version is retiring to download their data.
Respondent Reports: Researchers have the ability to retrieve a Respondent Nutrition Report (RNR) for participants and share it with them, depending on the study's settings.

Access and Record Retrieval Comparison Table


Feature	ASA24 Participant	ASA24 Researcher/Administrator
Ongoing Access	Yes, during an open reporting window for multi-day food records.	Yes, throughout the study's duration and before the ASA24 version is retired.
Post-Completion Access	No, for completed recalls. Limited window (e.g., 1 day) for completed food records.	Yes, data can be downloaded at any time before version retirement.
Editing Records	Yes, during the reporting period. No, after the period closes or recall is complete.	No, researchers cannot edit a participant's entry directly, but they can manually update data outside the system if needed.
Data Retrieval	No, cannot directly download raw data files.	Yes, can download comprehensive data files (CSV format) from the Researcher website.
Nutrition Report Access	Can receive a Respondent Nutrition Report (RNR) from the researcher, depending on study settings.	Can access and distribute RNRs to participants.

The Role of the Study Administrator

For a participant, the study administrator is the key to any post-completion data access. Since participants cannot retrieve their own records after the reporting window closes, they must contact the person or team who asked them to complete the ASA24 survey. The researcher can then use the ASA24 Researcher Website to generate the necessary reports or data files. If the researcher opted to provide participants with the Respondent Nutrition Report, they may be able to provide that information. This is the only official pathway for a participant to gain insight into their historical ASA24 data.

Conclusion

Participants in an ASA24 food record study have a short window to make final adjustments. The ability to go back into the system and retrieve your records later is unavailable. For completed 24-hour recalls, access ends immediately upon completion. The study's researcher handles all long-term data management and retrieval. Contact the study administrator directly to inquire about data sharing and request your nutritional report if a copy of the records is needed.

Visit the ASA24 Informational Website for additional details on the system's features.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, as a participant, you cannot log back into the ASA24 system to view or retrieve your own completed diet records days or weeks after the study period has ended. Long-term access and data retrieval are reserved for the researchers.

If you remember a food or drink after completing a 24-hour recall, you cannot log back into the system to modify it. You should report the forgotten item to the study staff, who can enter the information outside the ASA24 system.

Yes, but you must contact the researcher or study administrator to request it. Depending on the study's setup, they may be able to provide you with a Respondent Nutrition Report that summarizes your intake.

For multi-day food records, you can typically log in to make changes up to one day after your last reporting day. After this grace period, your record is closed, and you cannot make further edits.

Yes, the ASA24 Researcher Website allows researchers to track recalls and monitor study progress, including viewing statistics for incomplete records. All collected data is saved in a secure database accessible to the research team.

Your records are saved in a secure database. Access is limited to the researcher(s) registered to that study and the ASA24 operations team. Your data is not publicly accessible.

Yes, during the active reporting period, you can use the "Change Day" button to review entries for earlier days within your multi-day food record.