Modeling and implementing of a novel computer-tailored approach for portion size measurement aid

Studies have shown that several common misunderstanding occur in the measurement of diet portions. To resolve this issue, we investigate a novel computer-tailored approach to represent food item and portion size, and to support the measurement of the portion size. This approach employs the use of pictograms for modeling of the dietary portion information. The portion size information is divided into reusable elements. Rules for systematic combination of reusable elements make it possible to fit or to extend to different information on dietary portion size. As computer tailoring is a promising strategy for future health education, however, relevant studies on modeling dietary portion information in computer-tailored interventions are few. This paper is an initial effort proposing the present model to develop a web-based computational prototype. To evaluate the comprehensibility of the pictograms, the mean overall correcting rates of the pictograms with visual representation of middle corner (food items in color sketches) - upper-left corners (portion sizes in black-andwhite sketches) is 90.00%, showing that the pictograms have the potential to be used for dietary aids. Further development of the model used to represent dietary portion information is discussed for future investigation.