How to conduct a 24-hour dietary recall using the multiple-pass method

November 16, 2025 •

3 min read

The multiple-pass method is a gold standard approach for accurately capturing dietary intake and is used widely in national nutrition surveys. Learn how to conduct a 24-hour dietary recall using this structured, multi-stage interview process to gather reliable and comprehensive information on an individual's food and beverage consumption.

Quick Summary

This guide details the systematic, multiple-pass method for conducting a 24-hour dietary recall interview. It covers techniques for thorough data collection, accurate portion estimation, and minimizing errors to improve overall data quality.

Key Points

The Multiple-Pass Method: Use this five-step process to help individuals recall all foods and drinks and improve accuracy.
Accurate Portion Sizing: Employ visual aids and common household items to help estimate portion sizes correctly.
Context is Key: Ask about the time, place, and reason for eating to aid memory recall.
Minimize Bias: Maintain a neutral attitude and ask open-ended questions to avoid influencing responses and get honest answers.
Leverage Technology: Automated tools like ASA24 can make collecting data easier and more consistent for large projects.
A Single Day is a Snapshot: One recall shows just one day's eating. Multiple recalls are needed to understand a person's usual diet.
Record All Details: Document how food was prepared, brand names, and any added ingredients to get a complete picture of nutrient intake.

The Multiple-Pass Method: A Step-by-Step Guide

This method involves five passes to gather detailed information.

Pass 1: The Quick List

Ask the person to list all foods and drinks from the past day, starting from the morning. Focus on getting a complete list quickly, without going into detail about amounts.

Pass 2: The Forgotten Foods

Next, ask about commonly forgotten items like drinks, snacks, and condiments added to food. You can ask about what they had during specific activities like watching TV.

Pass 3: Time and Occasion

Review the list and confirm when each item was consumed and the occasion (like breakfast or a snack). Asking about where they ate can also help.

Pass 4: The Detail Cycle

For each food and drink listed, gather specific details:

Portion Size: Use tools like food models or measuring cups to help estimate amounts. Comparing portions to everyday objects like a deck of cards can also be useful.
Preparation: Note how the food was cooked (e.g., fried or baked).
Added Items: Record any additions like sauces, sugar, or oil.
Brand and Type: Ask for brand names, especially for packaged foods.

Pass 5: The Final Review

Read the complete list back to the person to check for anything missed and make corrections. Also, ask if the past day's eating was typical for them.

Tools and Techniques for Accuracy

Using the right tools and techniques is important for getting accurate information.

Using Visual Aids

Visual aids are crucial for estimating how much food was eaten.

Food Models: These can help visualize different food amounts.
Household Items: Using familiar things like measuring cups and spoons can improve accuracy.
Pictures: Standard photos showing various portion sizes are also helpful, especially with digital tools.

Good Interviewer Skills

The interviewer's approach matters greatly.

Be Neutral: Do not make judgments about what the person ate. This helps ensure they report everything honestly, not just what they think is healthy.
Ask Open Questions: Use questions that require more than a simple yes or no answer, like "What did you have with your cereal?" instead of "Did you have milk?".

Technology's Role

Tools like the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24) make recalls easier and more consistent, especially for large studies. They use digital pictures for portion sizes and automatically handle data, saving time and money. You can find more information about these tools from the National Cancer Institute.

Comparison of 24-Hour Recall Strengths and Limitations


Characteristic	Strengths	Limitations
Respondent Burden	Generally easy and takes about 20-30 minutes.	Need multiple days for typical intake, which increases the burden.
Detail and Specificity	Gathers detailed information on foods, how they were made, and when they were eaten.	Relies on memory and can be influenced by recall errors.
Influence on Intake	Doesn't change eating habits because it asks about the past.	A single day may not show the usual diet; daily eating varies.
Cost and Resources	Can be low cost for one recall, especially with automated tools.	Large studies can be expensive due to the time needed for interviews and analysis.
Administration	Can be done in person, by phone, or online.	Interviewers need training, and their approach can potentially introduce bias.

Conclusion

Using the multiple-pass method for a 24-hour dietary recall is a structured way to collect detailed dietary information. While it depends on a person's memory, the method's structure and use of aids help to get more accurate data by reducing forgotten items and better estimating portion sizes. Knowing the benefits and drawbacks of this method is important for anyone using it in research or clinical work to gather reliable information about what people eat and drink.

Frequently Asked Questions

The multiple-pass method is a structured, five-step interview process that helps a respondent recall all foods and beverages consumed over the past 24 hours. It uses systematic probes to improve memory and accuracy.

To estimate portion sizes accurately, interviewers often use visual aids such as food models, photos of weighed servings, measuring cups, and comparisons to common objects like a deck of cards or a household spoon.

No, a single 24-hour recall only provides a snapshot of intake on one specific day. To accurately assess an individual's usual dietary patterns, multiple, non-consecutive recalls are necessary to account for day-to-day variations.

Respondents often forget to report snacks, beverages (including water and juice), and condiments added to meals, such as sauces, dressings, and sugar in coffee or tea.

An interviewer's behavior can introduce bias. A non-judgmental approach and neutral language are essential to prevent the respondent from altering their report to appear healthier or more compliant, a phenomenon known as social desirability bias.

ASA24 is the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment Tool, a web-based system developed by the National Cancer Institute. It allows for multiple, automatically coded, self-administered recalls and reduces interviewer burden.

Advantages include a low respondent burden, the ability to collect very specific and detailed information on food intake, and the fact that it does not alter the respondent's usual eating patterns.