Objective: The aim of the study was to validate the Calorie Intake Tool (CIT), a new tool to estimate energy intake.
Design, setting and patients: 100 patients older than 75 were randomly selected in seven geriatric units at Toulouse University Hospital.
Measurements: Energy intake was calculated for each subject with the CIT and by weighing the food consumed.
Results: Total calorie intake did not differ significantly between the two methods, 1318 ± 586 for CIT and 1353 ± 625 for food weighing. The Intraclass Correlation coefficient (ICC) was higher than 0.89 for total calorie intake and the Bland and Altman analysis was consistent with these results and showed a bias for high calorie intake (mean error 35 ± 420 kcal).
Conclusion: The study shows that the CIT for the evaluation of calorie intake in elderly diseased patients is valid against the reference method (weighing the food consumed).