Quality evaluation of the food consumption and related data collected under the EU Menu Project

  The project 'Evaluation, Review and Advice on methods and tools for EU Menu phase 2', with acronym ERA EU Menu, has been conducted by RIVM and the University of Porto (U.Porto) in a joint effort (EFSA grant: GP/EFSA/DATA/2021/03). The objective of the ERA EU-Menu project is to give advice to EFSA for an update of the EU menu guidance, based on an extensive literature review on methodologies and tools that are currently used in National Dietary Surveys, combined with an evaluation of the quality of data collected under the EU menu framework. Based on these different purposes, the ERA EU Menu project is divided into three work packages (WP): WP1: review on methods and tools; WP2: Evaluation of current data; WP3: Advise for EU-menu phase 3.

  This publication refers to WP2 'Evaluation of current data' activities, in which the project team aimed to (1) identify which are the most relevant data quality indicators related to EU Menu dietary surveys (presented in Annex A); (2) define what should be the statistical approach for evaluating the overall quality and associated factors of the EU Menu surveys; and finally (3) evaluate the quality and harmonization of the surveys in the EU Menu framework and the main associated factors (survey dimensions and countries' sociodemographic factors) (presented in the Report file).

  Data from thirty-one surveys conducted under EU Menu guidelines was used, considering the surveys' datasets and their methodological reports. Surveys were mapped based on a list of 96 quality indicators, which cover nine dimensions Sampling, Recruitment, Interviewer Training, Data Collection, Software Tools, Non-dietary Data Collection, Data Completeness, Data Analysis, and Reporting. An exploratory analysis was also conducted to examine how the survey dimensions impacted data quality in terms of missing data, food and recipe description, data reliability, the presence of outliers, and energy misreporting.

  Overall, most surveys adhered well to EFSA 2014 guidelines, achieving a commendable level of harmonization and compliance. However, some challenges persist, namely, the inaccurate use of definitions, missing information in the final reports, differences in the seasons coverage during data collection, and discrepancies in database sharing with EFSA. The dimensions that mostly impacted data quality were the sampling, training & supervision of interviewers and interview administration procedures (seasonality, interview duration). 

  This report describes in detail the analysis and results of quality indicators to inform recommendations for future survey rounds in the ERA EU Menu project's final deliverable.