GLOSSARY

Portion Size Estimation Table

Dietary assessment methods have different time frames, burdens and error structures; reported intake is not exact absorbed intake.

Portion Size Estimation Estimating the quantity of food actually eaten using an appropriate description, aid or measurement.

For example, two household bowls can hold very different amounts of cereal. Clarify the container, preparation and actual portion using a suitable aid. Distinguish this estimate from the manufacturer's serving and retain the uncertainty when calculating carbohydrate for the athlete's reported meal.

Portion assessment translates what a person reports into a usable quantity. Household measures, photographs, food models and scales offer different types of help; none eliminates uncertainty. Distinguish an individual's actual portion from a standardized serving used for analysis or labeling. Check density, container size, edible fraction and whether a photograph depicts the same food form. In an athlete's plan, practical examples should make adequate intake easier while allowing the assessor to explain how the reported amount was estimated and where uncertainty remains.

A food record captures intake as it occurs or soon afterward and can include timing, amounts, preparation, drinks and supplements. Weighing can improve portion detail but increases burden, and recording itself can change eating. Estimated records depend on useful portion descriptions. Check leftovers, shared dishes, cooking fats and sports products without blaming the participant for uncertainty. Select representative days and explain whether quantities are raw, cooked or edible portions so that later nutrient calculations correspond to what was actually consumed.