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The evaluation of an electronic visual analogue scale system for appetite and mood

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 558–560 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Our objective was to evaluate a new electronic visual analogue scale (VAS) system for logging subjective motivation to eat ratings. In total, 10 men and 10 women completed both electronic and traditional pen and paper versions of the questionnaire every hour of the waking day. Subjects consumed a standard medium-fat diet, which was fixed at 1.6·BMR. Correlation coefficients for scores obtained by both methods were significant for all questions, with R2 values ranging from 67 to 87%. However, Bland and Altman plots and paired t-tests identified significant bias between the two methods for five of the nine individual questions. These were questions that tended to be scored more towards the ends of the VAS. The new electronic VAS produces comparable, but not interchangeable, results to the traditional pen and paper method in the study of appetite and mood, while offering advantages of improved reliability in data collection.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the European Commission, Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources, Key action 1 ‘Food, nutrition and health’ programme (QLK1-2000-00515). We are grateful to Emma Crawford for her assistance in running the study, and to the subjects for their participation. RJS was supported by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department.

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  1. Division of Energy Balance and Obesity, ACERO, Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, UK

    S Whybrow, J R Stephen & R J Stubbs

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  1. S Whybrow
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  2. J R Stephen
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  3. R J Stubbs
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Correspondence to S Whybrow.

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Guarantor: S Whybrow.

Contributors: SW conducted the analysis and wrote the manuscript. JRS conducted the study. RJS contributed to the original concept and writing of the manuscript. All authors participated in the interpretation and editing.

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Whybrow, S., Stephen, J. & Stubbs, R. The evaluation of an electronic visual analogue scale system for appetite and mood. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 558–560 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602342

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