Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Validity of Self-Report Dietary Assessment in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: Comparison with Doubly Labeled Water Measured Total Energy Expenditure

Background: Diet is a modifiable behavior of interest in multiple sclerosis (MS); however, measures of diet in persons with MS have not been vetted for feasibility, acceptability, and validity. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined the Automated Self-Administered 24-H (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool in 30 persons with MS and 15 healthy control (HC) participants. Participants were prompted to complete six ASA24 recalls and undergo a standard doubly labeled water (DLW) protocol. Acceptability of ASA24 was assessed using an online questionnaire. Total energy expenditure (TEE) from DLW was compared with ASA24-reported energy intake for assessing validity. Results: All participants completed four or more ASA24 recalls, indicating feasibility of ASA24. Regarding acceptability, the hardest part of completing the ASA24 was remembering everything eaten the previous day. Pearson correlation coefficients between DLW TEE and ASA24 kcal/day were not significant among HC (r = 0.40; p = 0.14) or MS (r = 0.26; p = 0.16) participants. The absolute mean error between DLW TEE and ASA24 among HC participants was 694.96 ± 506.25 mean kcal/day and among MS participants was 585.37 ± 529.02 mean kcal/day; this represents a mean difference of 30 and 25%, respectively. Conclusion: This study established the feasibility and acceptability of ASA24 in persons with MS and provides a foundation regarding the need for further validation research examining appropriate outcomes for supporting dietary interventions.