Frequently Asked Questions

The INDDEX24 Dietary Assessment Platform consists of:

• The INDDEX24 Mobile App
• The Global Food Matters Database (FMDB)
• The Survey Management Interface (CommCare HQ)
• The Analytical and Gaps Reports 

Conducting a dietary assessment using the INDDEX24 Dietary Assessment Platform requires the use of all components. However, the FMDB may be used independently in the process of assembling, managing and searching for dietary reference data.

In addition to the 24-hour recall module, which is the primary component of the INDDEX24 Mobile App, the INDDEX Project has developed 4 optional supplementary modules that can be used “as is” or contextualized to your survey needs, including: 1) a socio-demographic questionnaire, 2) an anthropometry module, 3) a physical activity questionnaire, and 4) a dietary supplement questionnaire. 

Additional modules can be developed in CommCare HQ to complement the INDDEX24 module for 24-recall surveys. In most cases, the development of supplementary modules is very straightforward and can be done directly in CommCare HQ, the INDDEX24 survey management interface. We highly recommend that any person working within the CommCare HQ survey management interface first complete Dimagi’s free, online, self-paced CommCare Fundamentals course. 

The INDDEX24 Mobile App is currently hosted and maintained by Intake at FHI Solutions. The Intake team is available to provide the following services to users of INDDEX24, with the purchase of a INDDEX24 technical support package: 

• Support for field preparations, including providing assistance in setting up your instance of the INDDEX24 Mobile App
• Serve as ‘go-to’ resource for technological maintenance and trouble-shooting matters
• Provide training to the trainers of the data collection team on the use of the INDDEX24 platform
• Provide guidance on the preparation and formatting of the dietary reference data to ensure compatibility with the Global FMDB template and cognitive requirements for enumerators and respondents.
• Assist in data monitoring and troubleshooting leading up to and during data collection
• Assist in using the INDDEX24 analytical reporting function to aid in data processing

Access to, and use of, the Global Food Matters Database is free. The price of the INDDEX24 Mobile App varies depending on the size and scope of the study. Please contact us for further details.

The Intake team would be happy to provide you with a demonstration of the INDDEX24 Dietary Assessment Platform. To indicate your interest in a demonstration, please tell us a little bit about your survey and research interests by filling out a form here.

Once you have decided to move forward with using the INDDEX24 Mobile App for a survey, you will contract with FHI Solutions and be given access to a project workspace for the INDDEX24 Mobile App. Once in your workspace, you are then able to customize the tool within the survey management interface, CommCare HQ, to fit your survey context.

The INDDEX24 Mobile App is designed to follow the multiple pass 24-hour dietary recall (24HR) method. The 24HR method provides comprehensive, quantitative information on individual diets by querying respondents about the type and quantity of all food and beverages consumed during the previous 24-hour period. A standard multiple pass 24HR includes having the respondent iteratively provide increasingly granular data about each food or drink and its preparation method and other attributes, as well as an estimation of the portion size consumed. This assessment method can offer a higher degree of accuracy in assessing food and nutrient intake relative to Food Frequency Questionnaires or estimates derived from Household Consumption and Expenditure Surveys. Learn more here.

Yes! The INDDEX24 Dietary Assessment Platform has been designed to encourage adaptation of the tools for a given survey context while maintaining a consistent structure for purposes of rigor and harmonization. There are certain types of customizations that are easy to implement and necessary for use in any new setting. Other customizations may be more complex and may require additional technology support. Please contact the Intake team for further advice on your anticipated customizations.

All food consumption data collected using the INDDEX24 Mobile App are hosted in a HIPAA compliant cloud at an enterprise-grade ISO 27001 compliant data center. Data are secured with at-rest encryption, regular offsite backups, intrusion monitoring, and biometric physical access security.

How do I access the Global Food Matters Database (FMDB)?

Please contact us if you would like access to the Global FMDB. Once you gain access, you can explore the Global FMDB to see existing public workspaces and types of data available. You will be able to create a workspace for your survey or project and begin compiling dietary reference data. To link the dietary reference data housed in the FMDB with the INDDEX24 Mobile App, you will be given an API key which will allow you to connect these data with the INDDEX24 Mobile App for data collection.

What types of dietary reference data are stored in the Global Food Matters Database (FMDB)?

The dietary reference data stored in the FMDB (and used by the INDDEX24 Mobile App) include:

• Food list with nutrient composition information
• Standard recipes and associated ingredient fractions (optional)
• Relevant probes for foods
• Portion conversion estimation factors 

Learn more here.

I have dietary reference data I want to input in the Global Food Matters Database (FMDB). Can the INDDEX team support this process?

The process of inputting data into the Global FMDB necessitates the use of the INDDEX24 template. A copy of this template is easily downloadable upon creation of a Global FMDB workspace. The INDDEX team can provide technical assistance during the process of compiling and populating the template with dietary reference data inputs insofar as advising on how to format the dietary reference data to work optimally within the INDDEX24 Dietary Assessment Platform.

The INDDEX Project will not provide financial support for the development of dietary reference data.

Will my dietary reference data be made public?

In the spirit of ensuring the Global Food Matters Database is an open-source platform that allows users from around the world to access regional dietary reference data, we encourage users to share their data including the food composition database,  standard recipes, food descriptors, and portion conversion factors. Users are strongly encouraged to share their data publicly, but may also choose to set their workspace to “Private” or “Visible” (i.e., other users can see that the workspace exists, but they are not able to view or access the data). 

Please contact Intake if you would like access to the Global FMDB. Once you gain access, you can explore the Global FMDB to see existing public workspaces and types of data available. You will be able to create a workspace for your survey or project and begin compiling dietary reference data. To link the dietary reference data housed in the FMDB with the INDDEX24 Mobile App, you will be given an API key which will allow you to connect these data with the INDDEX24 Mobile App for data collection.

The dietary reference data stored in the Global FMDB (and used by the INDDEX24 Mobile App) include:

• Food list with nutrient composition information
• Standard recipes and associated ingredient fractions (optional)
• Relevant probes for foods
• Portion conversion estimation factors 

The process of inputting data into the Global FMDB necessitates the use of the INDDEX24 template. A copy of this template is easily downloadable upon creation of a Global FMDB workspace. If you have questions about how to populate the template, contact Intake.

Intake will not provide financial support for the development of dietary reference data or to Global FMDB users to populate the database..

In the spirit of ensuring the Global Food Matters Database is an open-source platform that allows users from around the world to access regional dietary reference data, we encourage users to share their data including the food composition database,  standard recipes, food descriptors, and portion conversion factors. Users are strongly encouraged to share their data publicly, but may also choose to set their workspace to “Private” or “Visible” (i.e., other users can see that the workspace exists, but they are not able to view or access the data).&nbsp