Nutrition Assessment, Monitoring and Surveillance
e201611
ASA24instructions.pdf
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Instructions for the ASA24 Researcher Website:
2016 and 2014 Versions
Updated January 2017
ASA24 is a registered trademark of HHS.
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Contents
1. About the ASA24 System .......................................................................................................... 1
2. Key Considerations for Researchers ......................................................................................... 3
3. System Requirements ............................................................................................................... 8
4. Registering to Use the ASA24 System ....................................................................................... 9
5. Overview of the ASA24 Researcher Website .......................................................................... 10
6. Setting Up a Study ................................................................................................................... 15
7. Monitoring Study Progress ..................................................................................................... 38
8. Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 42
9. Key Terms ................................................................................................................................ 46
10. Tips for Managing Studies Using the ASA24 System .............................................................. 50
11. Helpful Links ............................................................................................................................ 51
Appendix A: ASA24 Researcher Agreement ................................................................................. 52
Appendix B: Nutrients and Food Groups Included in ASA24 Analysis Reports ............................ 54
Appendix C: Responses/My Selections Data Dictionary ............................................................... 60
Appendix D: Individual Foods and Nutrient (INF) Data Dictionary ............................................... 61
Appendix E: Items/Individual Foods and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary .......................... 62
Appendix F: Daily Total Nutrients Data Dictionary ....................................................................... 63
Appendix G: Totals/Daily Total Nutrient and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary.................... 64
Appendix H: Individual Supplements Data Dictionary .................................................................. 65
Appendix I: Daily Total Supplements Data Dictionary .................................................................. 66
Appendix J: Daily Total Nutrients from Foods and Supplements Data Dictionary ....................... 67
Appendix K: Modules .................................................................................................................... 68
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Tables
Table 6-1. Import File Specifications ............................................................................................. 32
Figures
Figure 4-1. Registering to Use the ASA24 System .......................................................................... 9
Figure 5-1. My Studies Tab ........................................................................................................... 10
Figure 5-2. Edit Study Details ........................................................................................................ 11
Figure 5-3. Respondent Accounts ................................................................................................. 12
Figure 5-4. Track Recalls/Records Tab .......................................................................................... 13
Figure 5-5. Analytic Files Tab ........................................................................................................ 14
Figure 6-1. Create a New Study .................................................................................................... 15
Figure 6-2. Modules ...................................................................................................................... 19
Figure 6-3. Outline of the Steps in the Respondent Account Wizard ........................................... 21
Figure 6-4. Step 1: Determine a starting ID number .................................................................... 22
Figure 6-5. Step 2: Determine number of Respondents ............................................................... 22
Figure 7-1 Track Recall / Record, by Respondent ......................................................................... 39
Figure 7-2 Track Recall / Record, By Recall / Record .................................................................... 41
Figure 8-1. Analytic Files Tab ........................................................................................................ 45
Figure 8-2. One Respondent (instant) .......................................................................................... 46
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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1. About the ASA24 System
The Automated Self-Administered 24-hour (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool was developed by
the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to enable multiple, automatically coded self-administered
24-hour recalls. The ASA24 system can be used by researchers for epidemiologic,
interventional, behavioral or clinical research. Clinicians can utilize this tool to collect 24-hour
recalls or food records from patients and receive complete nutrient analysis of the foods
consumed during the collection timeframe. Educators may find it useful to have nutrition
students analyze intake or compare diet assessment methods using ASA24.
The most recent version of the ASA24 system, ASA24-2016, ASA24-Canada-2016, and ASA24-
Australia-2016 can also be used as a food record, also called a food diary. Food records are
useful for real-time data collection and for promoting dietary change.
Researchers should determine whether using recalls or food records best suits their research
needs, as well as how, when and how many recalls or food records should be administered to
produce optimal data. More information about choosing an assessment method can be found
in the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Dietary Assessment Primer.
The ASA24 system consists of a Respondent website, used to collect data from participants, and
a Researcher Website, used to manage study logistics and access nutrient and food group data
files.
The ASA24 Respondent Website guides the participant through the completion of either a 24-
hour recall for the previous day (from midnight-to-midnight or for the past 24-hours) or for a
single or multiple day food record. The ASA24 instrument:
Flows as per modified United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Automated
Multiple-Pass Method (AMPM) for 24-hour recalls, which was further adapted for
collection of food records;
Allows researchers to specify timing of recall, either from midnight-to-midnight or for
the past 24-hours from time of login;
Asks Respondents to report eating occasion and time of consumption;
Requires Respondents to search to find foods, drinks and supplements;
Asks detailed questions about food form, preparation, portion size, and additions so
that food codes can be assigned;
Uses images to assist Respondents in reporting portion size;
Allows the Respondent to add or modify food, drink, and supplement choices at
multiple points during the recall or record;
Includes optional modules to query where meals were eaten, whether meals were
eaten alone or with others, television and computer use during meals, and source of
foods consumed;
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Includes an optional module to query dietary supplement intake;
Is available in English and Spanish for U.S. versions; ASA24-Canada-2016 is available in
English and French; and ASA24-Australia-2016 and ASA24-Canada-2014 are available in
English only;
Is accessible by individuals using assistive technologies, such as screen readers.
NEW in the 2016 version is an optional Respondent Nutrition Report that Researchers
can choose to make available to Respondents. The Respondent Nutrition Report will
provide feedback on nutrient and food group intake in comparison with U.S. dietary
guidance. This report is available only for Respondents completing food recalls using the
U.S. version of ASA24-2016. This feature is under development for food records.
The versions of the ASA24 Respondent Website corresponding to these instructions are:
ASA24-2016 (released March 2016);
ASA24-Canada-2016 (released October 2016);
ASA24-Australia-2016 (released December 2016);
ASA24-2014 (released February 2014; no longer available for registering new studies);
ASA24-Kids-2014 (released February 2014; no longer available for registering new
studies by March 2017);
ASA24-Canada-2014 (released April 2014; no longer available for registering new
studies).
Information about the current and previous versions of the ASA24 Respondent Websites, the
Respondent Website Methodology, and ASA24 System Requirements is available on the
National Cancer Institute’s ASA24 Website.
The remainder of this document provides detailed instructions on the use of the ASA24
Researcher Website, which allows Researchers to register a study and its Respondents, set
study parameters (e.g., number of recalls, number of attempts per recall, time allowed for
Respondents to complete a recall, number of days in a record), manage study logistics, and
obtain analytic files. Instructions for the previous version of the Researcher Website are
available.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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2. Key Considerations for Researchers
Note: Definitions for ASAS24-specific terms and abbreviations can be found in the Key Terms
section at the end of this document; in the following section, the first occurrence of each key
term is linked to its definition in the Key Terms section.
How much does it cost to use the ASA24 system?
As part of its mission to advance measures and methods for monitoring cancer-related
behaviors and other risk factors, the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Risk Factor Assessment
Branch provides tools and resources to the extramural research community. Consistent with
that, the ASA24 system is available for use free of charge to researchers, clinicians, and
teachers.
Costs to consider when planning a study that uses ASA24 include system and labor costs
associated with uploading study details, including Respondent usernames and recall dates.
Costs also are associated with contacting and monitoring Respondents, assessing data quality,
and analyzing data. The labor and resources needed by researchers and associated costs to
configure and manage studies using the ASA24 system are within the purview and the
responsibility of users.
How can a Researcher gain access to the ASA24 system?
A researcher, clinician, or teacher who wishes to use the ASA24 system must create a
Researcher account before setting up a new study. To create a new user account, Researchers
must provide basic information: name, organization, phone number, and email address. All
Researchers must read and accept the ASA24 Researcher Agreement before creating an
account. Upon accepting the Agreement and completing the account creation form, the
Researcher will receive an email with a temporary password. The first time Researchers log into
the website they are required to change their password. Once a new password has been
chosen, a new study may be registered.
What documentation is available for Researchers interested in using the ASA24 system?
General information about the ASA24 system is available on the National Cancer Institute’s
(NCI) ASA24 Website. This Website includes helpful resources, such as Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs), documents that can be used for funding and ethics proposals, help
documents to provide to study respondents, a list of known issues and workarounds, and links
to relevant publications.
In addition to this Researcher Website instruction document, sample Analytic Files and Data
Dictionaries that enable Researchers to view the nature of the output provided by the ASA24
are available for download from the NCI Website and the Researcher Website. The Data
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Dictionaries are included in Appendices C-J of this document. A Listserv that allows current and
potential users to communicate with other ASA24 users is also available.
How can a Researcher test or pilot the ASA24 system?
A demonstration version allows any interested user to complete a recall using the Respondent
Websites. The demonstration versions can be completed in English or Spanish for ASA24-2016,
ASA24-2014 and ASA24-Kids-2014. There are no demonstration versions for ASA24-Canada or
ASA24-Australia. Please note that the demonstration version does not provide analysis file
output.
Access to the full ASA24 system requires creating a Researcher user account and registering a
study. Once a study is set up and Respondent Accounts are created, login information for a
demonstration account (Demo_User) for that study’s Respondent Website will be available in
the first Username and Password file obtained after you register a study. Researchers can use
the Demo_User Account to familiarize themselves with the respondent experience and to verify
customizations made to the Respondent Website (e.g., study logo, welcome screen text,
selection of optional modules) during study setup (see Setting Up a Study). Data entered using
the Demo_User Account will not be saved and will not appear in output files available from the
Researcher Website.
To extensively test the ASA24 system, including saved data and output files, Researchers can
set up test user accounts by specifying StudyIDs for testing purposes. It is important to ensure
that these test StudyIDs can be distinguished from valid Respondent IDs in the output files so
that they can be deleted prior to study analyses. Therefore, for testing purposes, it is advisable
to use a distinct range of StudyIDs for test user accounts so that they can be distinguished from
the StudyIDs of study Respondents. Please conduct such testing within the context of an
existing study, rather than setting up a separate study whenever possible. Please see Setting Up
a Study for further information on creating Respondent Accounts in the ASA24 system.
Can the ASA24 system be used with individuals of all ages?
The ASA24 system was initially developed for use with adults. ASA24-Kids-2014 was modified
for use with U.S. children ages 10 years and older, but will no longer be available for new
studies after March 2017. To make the software user-friendly and appealing for this age group,
this version included a shorter list of foods and beverages from which to choose; this list was
based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) recall data for children. It
asked fewer detailed questions about food preparation, which led to more default coding of
foods using the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Surveys (FNDDS) version 4.1.
Funding is not currently available for a mobile accessible version for kids, such as ASA24-2016. Researchers using ASA24-Kids-2014 and ASA24-Kids-2012 will need to transition to ASA24-2016
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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by March 2017 if data collection for a study will continue beyond this date. More information
can be found on the ASA24-Kids Respondent Website.
What sample size can be accommodated by the ASA24 system?
The ASA24 system was designed to manage multiple, large epidemiologic studies simultaneously. Should a Researcher wish to use the ASA24 system for a very large study (i.e., thousands of Respondents), it is advisable to arrange the timing of recalls and records so that not all Respondents are attempting to access the system on the same days.
The Researcher Website is not currently optimized to manage a large number of Respondents (more than 10,000) within a single study. Please contact the ASA24 Help Desk if you have a need for a high volume of concurrent users to discuss management strategies.
How will study Respondents be notified about visiting the ASA24 Respondent Website to
complete their recalls?
It is the responsibility of the Researcher to contact Respondents to provide the URL for the
ASA24 Respondent Website, usernames and passwords to access the site, and details about
dates to complete their recalls or records. NCI has no access to any contact or identifying
information for study Respondents.
Usernames for study Respondents will be generated by the ASA24 system based on the study
abbreviation specified by the Researcher during study creation. Passwords can either be
provided by Researchers or generated by the ASA24 system. Respondents’ usernames and
passwords will be available for download from the Researcher Website once Respondent
Accounts have been created.
Who will need access to the ASA24 Researcher Website to manage a study?
Any study staff who will be involved in managing study logistics, overseeing Respondent
progress, and requesting reports and analytic files will need a username and password to access
the Researcher Website. Researchers can add or remove study staff at any time by logging into
the Researcher Website, selecting a study and choosing the Edit Study Details tab. To edit staff,
look for the blue button “Manage Study Staff.” Once staff are added to the staff via this
method, usernames and passwords will automatically be e-mailed to staff who were added.
Will my study involve Scheduled or Unscheduled recalls?
For 24-hour recalls only, when setting up a study, Researchers can select either Scheduled or
Unscheduled (or ad hoc) administration. Researchers will need to decide whether to use
Scheduled or Unscheduled recalls before creating Respondent Accounts and before any
Respondents can begin completing recalls.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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It is important to note that, once Respondent Accounts have been created,
a study cannot be changed from Unscheduled to Scheduled or from
Scheduled to Unscheduled. To do this, you must delete existing Respondent
Accounts, update the Study Type setting, and then create new Respondent
Accounts.
In a study with Scheduled recalls, the Intake Dates are designated during the initial study setup
using either the Respondent Accounts Wizard or the Import File (see Create Respondent
Accounts). The ASA24 Respondent Website will permit Respondent access only on the specified
Reporting Dates. Dates can be specified for multiple attempts for each recall in case the
Respondent does not complete the recall on the first assigned date. In some cases,
Unscheduled recalls may be preferred due to the unpredictable nature of clinic visits or classes.
In a study with Unscheduled recalls, Respondent access to ASA24 is not limited so long as the
Respondent has not reached the maximum number of recalls specified by the Researcher or the
study end date.
Will my study involve Consecutive or Nonconsecutive records?
For food records only, days of data collection can be either Consecutive or Nonconsecutive.
Researchers need to decide this before any Respondents begin completing records.
In a study with Consecutive records, researchers will be asked to specify the Number of
Consecutive Days, which is the maximum number of consecutive days that Respondents will
report for each Record. If collecting multiple consecutive day Records, the number of
consecutive days for each record must be the same.
The system will prevent record completion when Respondents attempt to complete a record
outside the study dates or for a number or days beyond that designated by the Researcher (i.e.,
for a study collecting 3-day records, the Respondent would not be allowed to report for an
additional day).
How many intake days can be reported by each Respondent?
Each unique username can be used to complete only the number of recalls or record days
specified by the Researcher. Recalls and records that are started, but not finished, count
towards this maximum. The maximum number of recalls or record days specified for a study
can be edited in Study Details on the Researcher Website after a study has been created.
How will the ASA24 system help me monitor my study’s progress?
During a study, the Researcher can visit the Researcher Website to view and download data on
Respondents’ progress, including the date of the next Scheduled recall for a Respondent (for
Scheduled studies), the number of completed recalls or records per Respondent, and other
progress metrics.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Filter options for Tracking Recalls and Records include, among others:
Recalls scheduled during a specific date range;
Recalls or Record days not started; and
Recalls or Record days with both food and supplement information completed.
What analytic output will I be able to access using the ASA24 system?
For the 2016 and 2014 versions of the ASA24 system, Researchers can access the Researcher
Website at any time once a study has begun to obtain analytic output files, including nutrient
and food group analyses. Files include a summary of Respondents’ quick list entries, food codes,
energy, nutrients/dietary constituents, MyPyramid Equivalent/Food Pyramid Equivalents,
supplement codes, and nutrients from supplements. Refer to the Data Analysis section for
detailed information about the analytic output available from the ASA24 system.
Analyses can be run for all Respondents (batch) or for the last recall or record of a particular
Respondent (individual). Output for batch requests is cumulative and will be available the
following day by 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time and output for individual requests will be available in
approximately 15 minutes.
If Researchers have selected the Respondent Nutrition Report option (currently available for
the U.S. ASA24-2016 version, recalls only), feedback regarding food group and nutrient intakes
in relation to dietary guidance is provided by the ASA24 system to Respondents and
Researchers. Respondent Nutrition Reports are downloadable in .pdf form and formatted for
the lay public. They will be available immediately after Respondents complete their recalls.
Respondent Nutrition Reports for food records are under development. More information is
available on Respondent Nutrition Reports.
Is the ASA24 system available in multiple languages?
The U.S. version of the ASA24 system is available to Respondents in both English and Spanish
for ASA24-2016, ASA24-2014, and ASA24-Kids-2014. It is available in English only for ASA24-
Canada-2014, and in English and French for ASA24-Canada-2016. It is available in English only
for ASA24-Australia-2016. When Respondents log in to the site, they can choose their preferred
language from available options. Regardless of which language is used to complete the recall,
all data on the Researcher Website will be in English.
How is Respondent confidentiality maintained within the ASA24 system?
Researchers do not provide NCI or the ASA24 system with any identifying data for study Respondents. Rather, Researchers specify a user ID for each Respondent and download system- generated usernames and encrypted passwords that Respondents use to access the application.
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The ASA24 system also does not collect any identifying data directly from Respondents. IP
address information is accessed for the purpose of routing information between the server and
the Respondent’s computer. Often, the IP address is that of the user’s Internet Service Provider
(ISP). IP addresses are not stored or tracked by the ASA24 system. However, logs of connections
are kept for audit trail purposes. This information is not harvested in any way but would be
available if there were a legal obligation to release it.
Respondent data are protected by industry standard security controls. All data entered into the
ASA24 system are encrypted by the Internet browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox) while
transmitted to the ASA24 servers using Secure Socket Layer protocol, or SSL. SSL allows for the
authentication of the sending and receiving computers. Only a particular study’s investigator(s)
and the ASA24 operations team can access response data using usernames and strong
passwords.
3. System Requirements
The ASA24 Researcher Website was designed to optimally display on a monitor size greater
than 10 inches. Additionally, a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or larger is recommended for
optimal display of the data grids.
Because data entered on one screen may affect the display of data on another screen, the
ASA24 system does not support the use of the Back or Forward buttons of your web browser.
Please use the tabs within the site for navigation (see Overview of the ASA24 Researcher
Website) for a summary of each tab).
The Respondent Websites for the 2016 versions of ASA24 were designed to display on all size
screens, including mobile devices such as smartphones. A recent version of a web browser
capable of displaying HTML5 is required.
Versions of the ASA24 Respondent Website prior to 2016 were designed to optimally display on
a monitor size greater than 10 inches. Additionally, for versions of the ASA24 Respondent
Website prior to 2016, a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or larger is recommended for optimal
display of the data grids and the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in is required. Browsers supporting
Silverlight can be found at: https://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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4. Registering to Use the ASA24 System
Registering to use the ASA24 system is free to researchers, clinicians, and educators. To
register, select the Register button on the Researcher Website. This button will take you to a
short form that will prompt you for some basic information required to create an account
(Figure 4-1). Fill in each of the required fields (noted by an asterisk), and select Submit.
After selecting the Submit button, you will receive two emails from
[email protected]. One email will contain a username and a temporary password;
the second email will contain usage information. Once you log in with the temporary password,
you will be prompted to change the password to one of your choosing. You may then register a
new study or explore the site.
Interested users may view the Respondent Website without registering a study. A
demonstration version of the Respondent Website provides access to view and try out ASA24-
2016. However, the demonstration versions will not save any intake data or provide any dietary
analyses. The full version of the ASA24 system, including access to the Researcher Website, is
available only to registered users.
Figure 4-1. Registering to Use the ASA24 System
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5. Overview of the ASA24 Researcher Website
Once a Researcher Account has been created, Researchers can set up a study or simply view the
site. Researchers can explore the site and manage studies through the five main tabs at the top
of the page:
My Studies
Study Details
Respondent Accounts
Track Recall/Record
Analytic Files
The My Studies tab (Figure 5-1) functions as the site’s home when a Researcher is logged in.
This tab provides a snapshot of all current and past studies registered through a Researcher’s
username. Researchers can view study start and end dates, the number of recalls or records
collected, the date of the last recall or record collected, the total number of Respondents, and a
study’s status (active or complete). Researchers can change the default study (i.e., the study
that is automatically selected when a Researcher logs in) or delete existing studies. Deleting a
study removes all data associated with that study, including completed recalls or records and
those in progress.
Figure 5-1. My Studies Tab
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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The Study Details tab (Figure 5-2) allows a Researcher to edit settings for current studies. These
settings include the study name, description, number of respondents, number of recalls or
records to be completed per respondent, study start and end dates, and other details. Study
settings can be updated at any time, with the exception of Study Type (Scheduled or
Unscheduled for recalls; Consecutive or Nonconsecutive for records); Study Abbreviation and
version of ASA24.
Figure 5-2. Edit Study Details
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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The Respondent Accounts tab allows a Researcher to create Respondent Accounts for any
study (Figure 5-3). Respondent Accounts can be created in two ways: (1) a manual file upload or
(2) a step-by-step “wizard,” available for recall studies only. Before creating Respondent
Accounts, it is important to consider several factors, such as Study Type (Scheduled or
Unscheduled for recalls; Consecutive or Nonconsecutive for records) and the number of recalls
or records allowed per Respondent. For more information on these settings or creating
Respondent Accounts, see Setting Up a Study.
Figure 5-3. Respondent Accounts
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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The Track Recalls/Records tab (Figure 5-4) can be used by Researchers to monitor completion
of recalls or records for a selected study. On this tab, recalls or records may be filtered on a
number of parameters selected by the Researcher, including date completed and completion
status. Researchers may switch the table view to a Respondent-level (number of completed
recalls or records for each Respondent, etc.) or recall/record-level summary (specific
information for each recall or record by each Respondent, such as Reporting Date, Completion
Status, etc.).
If Researchers have selected the Respondent Nutrition Report option (currently available for
U.S 2016 version, recalls only), feedback regarding food group and nutrient intakes in relation
to dietary guidance is provided by the ASA24 system to Respondents and Researchers. A
Respondent Nutrition Report provided to a Respondent can be obtained by a Researcher
selecting the view link in the Nutrition Report column. Respondent Nutrition Reports for food
records are under development. More information on Respondent Nutrition Reports is
available.
Figure 5-4. Track Recalls/Records Tab
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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The Analytic Files tab (Figure 5-5) allows Researchers to request and download analytic files for a selected study. For ASA24-2016 and ASA24-Canada-2016, these files include nutrients and the Food Pattern Equivalents data. For ASA24-Australia-2016, files include nutrients only. For ASA24-2014 and ASA24-Kids-2014 the files include nutrients and MyPyramid Equivalents data. For ASA24-Canada-2014, files include nutrients only. For all versions, files can be generated for all Respondents (batch) or for the last recall or record for a single Respondent (instant). Batch files for all Respondents will be available the following morning by 6 a.m. Eastern Time; files for a single Respondent will be available for download in approximately 15 minutes
Figure 5-5. Analytic Files Tab
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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6. Setting Up a Study
Before creating a study, Researchers should consider several parameters that will affect the
completion of recalls or records by Respondents and the study’s overall administration. These
parameters include study start and end dates, number of respondents, number of recalls or
records per respondent, and the number of days desired for consecutive day food records.
To create a study, visit My Studies tab and select the Create a New Study button. This button
will take you to a detailed form (Figure 6-1) where you can specify the study parameters. Once
you complete the form, you can create Respondent Accounts and manage study staff access.
These steps are detailed below.
Figure 6-1. Create a New Study
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Study Parameters
An explanation of each study parameter follows. Note: You can view key information about
each parameter as you are entering information on the Researcher website by selecting the
question mark next to each item.
Study Abbreviation: Researchers must provide a Study Abbreviation when registering a new
study. It must be unique within the ASA24 system and composed of three to six letters or
numbers with no spaces. The username for each Respondent in a study will be a combination of
the Study Abbreviation and a numeric Study ID provided during Respondent Account creation.
For example, if a study’s abbreviation is FRUIT, sample usernames may be FRUIT101 or
FRUIT1001. For this reason, it is a good idea to choose an abbreviation that will be meaningful
to your Respondents.
Study Description: Researchers must provide a brief description of the study; this field has a
200-word limit. This description will only be viewed by the Researcher, their study staff, and the
ASA24 Help Desk ([email protected]) staff; it will not be displayed on the
Researcher or Respondent Websites.
Example:
This is a cohort study with 100,000 Respondents investigating diet and risk for later
chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and a variety of cancers.
The baseline data will be collected over the next five years and the follow-up will be
conducted subsequently.
Number of Respondents: Researchers must specify the anticipated number of Respondents for
a study. This information can be updated as needed after a study has begun.
Tool: Researchers must specify whether they would like to use the ASA24 system as a 24-hour
recall or food record for their study. The option to use the ASA24 system as a food record is
available only for the 2016 versions of the ASA24 system. The tool selected will determine
which parameters follow, described below. For more information about how to select a tool for
your study see the Dietary Assessment Primer.
For studies using ASA24 as a Recall:
Study Type: There are two study types for recalls —Scheduled and Unscheduled. In a
study with Scheduled recalls, the Intake Dates are specified by the Researcher, and the
ASA24 Respondent Web site will permit Respondent access only on the specified
Reporting Dates.
In a study with Unscheduled recalls, Respondents can access the ASA24 system on any
day until the maximum number of recalls (as determined by the Researcher) is reached.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Unscheduled recalls may be preferred in clinical or classroom settings due to the
unpredictable nature of the visits/classes or in a study in which the Researchers prefer
more internal controls related to scheduling recalls for Respondents.
Please note that study type cannot be changed once Respondent Accounts have been
created.
Number of Recalls (per Respondent): Researchers must specify the maximum number
of recalls allowed for each Respondent. The ASA24 system does not impose any limit on
the number of recalls Researchers may request to be completed per Respondent. This
parameter can be changed after a study has begun.
Intake Time Frame: Researchers must specify the Intake Time Frame for the recalls to
be collected within a study. ASA24 studies can be set up so that Respondents are
prompted to report their intake in two ways: (1) from Midnight to Midnight the previous
day (i.e., the day before the Reporting Date), or (2) for the Last 24 Hours (i.e., the 24
hours preceding the Respondent’s first log in time to the ASA24 system). For the Last 24
Hours option, recalls must be completed by midnight on the Reporting Date; for
Midnight to Midnight studies, Researchers can choose whether Respondents must
complete their recalls by midnight on the Reporting Date or by 8 a.m. the following day
using the “Finish reporting in” parameter, described below.
Complete Reporting In: Researchers must indicate whether Respondents can complete
their recalls either in one session (i.e., one login with no breaks greater than 30 minutes
to avoid the automatic timeout) or in multiple sessions. The number of sessions a
Respondent used for each recall will be displayed on the Track Recall/Record tab. This
parameter can be changed after a study has begun.
Finish Reporting In: This field refers to the time frame (either 24 or 32 hours) that the
Researcher will permit Respondents to finish each recall. This information can be
updated after a study has begun, but is dependent on the selection made for Intake
Time frame:
If the Intake Time frame is Midnight to Midnight, Researchers must choose between
allowing Respondents 24 or 32 hours to complete their recalls; for 32 hours, the
Respondent will have until 8:00 a.m. the day after the Reporting Date to complete the
recall. These rules apply to both Scheduled and Unscheduled Studies.
If the Intake Time frame is Last 24 Hours, Respondents must complete their recalls by
midnight on the day the recall is started (the Reporting Date).
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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The ASA24 system uses the Respondent’s computer local date and
time to verify that the Respondent is completing a recall within the
allowable time frame, as specified by the Researcher. Visiting the
site at any other time will result in the following message:
“Permitted recall not scheduled.”
Consecutive recalls are possible under specific conditions
determined during study setup. See Key Terms for details on
allowing consecutive recalls.
Study Start and End Dates: Researchers must select Study Start and End Dates. The
Study Start Date is the first date that study Respondents may log in to the Respondent
Website to complete a recall. The Study End Date is the last date that study
Respondents may log in to complete a recall.
For studies using ASA24 as a Record (2016 versions only):
Number of Records (per Respondent): Researchers must specify the maximum number
of records allowed for each Respondent. The ASA24 system does not impose any limit
on the number of records completed per Respondent. This parameter can be changed
after a study has begun.
Study Type: Researchers must specify whether they want records to include
Consecutive or Nonconsecutive days. Select Consecutive if Respondents are to report
for two or more consecutive days. A Consecutive Record will begin on the first day a
Respondent logs in. Select Nonconsecutive if Respondents are to report any number of
Nonconsecutive, single-day Records. For either study type, Respondents can log in to
edit the Record one day beyond the Record's last day. Please note that study type
cannot be changed once Respondent Accounts have been created.
If Researchers choose a Consecutive record study type, they will then need to
also specify the maximum Number of Consecutive Days that Respondents will
report for a Record. If collecting multiple consecutive day Records, the number
of consecutive days for each record must be the same. For example, a
Researcher wishing to collect a three-day record would enter “3” as the
maximum number of consecutive days. If they wanted to collect a second record
within the same study, it must also be a three-day food record.
Study Start and End Dates: Researchers must select Study Start and End Dates. The
Study Start Date is the first date that study Respondents may log in to the Respondent
Website in order to complete a record. The Study End Date is the last date that study
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Respondents may log in to the Respondent Website in order to complete a record. The
Start Date and End Date can be updated later if needed.
After completing the study parameters, Researchers are asked to specify their Researcher
affiliation(s) and the Purpose of the study. This information is collected for internal use only
and does not affect study administration.
Modules: This field is used to indicate which optional ASA24 modules will be administered to
Respondents (Figure 6-2). The Location module is selected by default because location may
provide context to aid Respondents in recalling what they ate at a meal; however, this module
can be turned off by the Researcher. Other optional modules query about with whom meals
were eaten, food source, TV/computer use during meals, and supplement intakes. Note that if
the food source module is selected, the location module must also be selected and that a
question regarding source is asked for each food reported; this will increase the amount of time
it takes to complete a recall or record. For ASA24-2016 (U.S. version and for recalls only), you
can select whether or not you want Respondents to be able to obtain a Respondent Nutrition
Report indicating how their intake for the day compares to dietary guidance. Module selections
can be updated after a study has begun. See Appendix K for more information on modules.
Figure 6-2. Modules
Add study staff
Researchers may provide study access to additional staff for administration of the study. Staff
members who are added to the study will be able to log into the Researcher Website to
complete study setup tasks, monitor study progress, and request and download analytic output
files. The Researcher who created the study is assigned as the primary investigator by default.
Only the primary investigator can delete a study (and corresponding data); other study staff can
perform all other actions within the ASA24 Researcher site.
New study staff can be added by visiting the Study Details tab and selecting the Manage Study
Staff button. This link will take you to a tab where you can create accounts for new staff or
manage access for staff members who already have ASA24 accounts. To switch between
studies, select the relevant study from the drop-down menu at the top of the tab. Once the
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
20
appropriate study has been selected, select Add Study Staff and complete the form with basic
contact information for the staff member; the staff member will then receive information
about logging into the site via email.
Create Respondent Accounts
Respondent Accounts can be created in two ways: using the Respondent Accounts Wizard (for
Recalls only) or using an Import File.
Respondent Accounts Wizard (for Recall studies only)
The Respondent Accounts Wizard will walk you through the necessary steps for creating
Respondent Accounts. It may be helpful to consider the parameters described below before
launching the Wizard. The Wizard is only available for studies using ASA24 as a recall.
Once you are ready to start the Wizard, go to the Respondent Accounts tab. On the first
screen, check that the correct study is selected. Then select the Start Wizard button and follow
the prompts in each step.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Figure 6-3. Outline of the Steps in the Respondent Account Wizard
Description of each step follows.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Step 1: Determine a starting ID number (Figure 6-4). This number will represent the first
Respondent Account number in the series. If your study abbreviation is FRUIT, and you select a
starting respondent number of 100, the first Respondent username will be FRUIT100.
Subsequent usernames will be FRUIT101, FRUIT102, etc.
If you wish to use a distinct range of usernames for testing purposes only (e.g., in the 500-550
range), you will have to complete the Wizard twice, entering different starting ID numbers for
test usernames as well as active Respondent usernames. Refer to How can a Researcher test or
pilot the ASA24 system? in the Key Considerations for Researchers for more information.
Figure 6-4. Step 1: Determine a starting ID number
Step 2: Determine the number of Respondents who will participate in the study (Error! Not a
valid bookmark self-reference.). The Wizard can be used to create Accounts for additional
Respondents later if necessary.
Figure 6-5. Step 2: Determine number of Respondents
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Step 3: Determine the number of recalls allowed per Respondent (Figure 6-6). If the number of
recalls is 5, once a Respondent has completed 5 recalls, they will not be able complete any
further recalls. This number can be updated later if needed.
Figure 6-6. Step 3: Determine number of recalls
Note: Steps 4 through 7 apply only to Scheduled studies. For Unscheduled studies, skip to
Step 8.
Step 4: Determine the number of recalls to be collected for weekday intake dates (Monday
through Thursday) versus weekend intake dates (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) for each
Respondent (Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.). Recalls may be randomly distributed
throughout the week or the number to be completed for weekend Intake Dates (Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday) may be specified (in this case, the remaining recalls will be scheduled for
weekday intake dates).
Figure 6-7. Step 4: Recall Distribution
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Step 4a: The number of weekend recalls may be zero for studies in which Respondents
will complete all recalls for weekday intake dates; similarly, the number of recalls for
weekend intake dates may be the total number of recalls per Respondent, which would
allow for recalls only for weekend intake dates and no weekday intake dates (Figure
6-8).
Figure 6-8. Step 4a: Number of recalls per respondent on weekend days
Step 5: Determine the number of days between recalls (Error! Not a valid bookmark self-
reference.). For Midnight to Midnight recalls where consecutive days are desired, respondents
must finish reporting in 24 hours, the number of days between recalls must be zero, and the
number of attempts must be one. For Midnight to Midnight recalls where Respondents must
finish reporting in 32 hours, consecutive recalls are not possible and the number of days
between recalls must therefore be larger than zero.
To space recalls evenly, specify the necessary interval between recalls. For example, if you
would like each Respondent to complete 3 recalls over a 3-month study timeframe and recalls
to be spaced evenly throughout the study period, enter 30 days between recalls.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Figure 6-9. Step 5: Days between recalls
Step 6: Determine the number of attempts each respondent is allowed for each recall and the
number of days between each attempt (Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.). Specify
one attempt to limit Respondents to a single date to complete each recall or the desired
number of multiple attempts. To schedule attempts for consecutive days, specify one day
between attempts.
Figure 6-10. Step 6: Attempts
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Step 7: Determine whether recalls will be administered in stages. (Error! Not a valid bookmark
self-reference.). In a large study having all Respondents start their recalls at the same time may
be difficult for study staff to manage and support Respondents. Therefore, it may be
advantageous to Researchers to stage recalls over a period of weeks or months so that a
manageable number of Respondents is completing recalls at a given time. Any number of
stages can be created, as long as each stage falls within the study period.
Figure 6-11. Step 7: Staged Starts
Once you have completed the steps outlined above, a summary of your selections will be
presented on a single screen (Figure 6-12). It is important to review this screen carefully; use
the Back button provided on the screen (rather than the browser’s Back button) to make
changes if necessary.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Figure 6-12. Confirmation
Step 8: Choose between randomly generated passwords (e.g. blaCKhaWk421!) for all
Respondents or passwords based on a relevant root word (e.g. Pizzas10) (Figure 6-13).
Once the wizard has been completed, two files will be available for download: a Username and
Password File and an Import File. The Import File contains the SubjectID, Reporting Dates,
Attempt Dates, Intake Dates and Passwords. If desired, this file can be downloaded, updated,
and then uploaded to make modifications to the schedule of dates (see Import File below).
Figure 6-13. Step 8: Password creation
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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For Scheduled studies: Researchers should carefully review the schedule
provided in the Import File to ensure that it is consistent with expectations.
The Wizard is designed to create a recall schedule that matches all
elements selected by the Researcher during completion of the Wizard,
while correcting for entries that present logic conflicts (e.g., requesting
more weekend recalls than total number of recalls). However, there are
several parameters used to calculate the recall schedule (number of recalls
per Respondent, number of attempts per recall, number of weekend Intake
Dates, and spacing of recalls throughout the study period), and it is
therefore important to confirm that each selection corresponds with the
schedule anticipated by the Researcher.
To make changes, the Researcher can run the Respondent Accounts Wizard again with different
selections. Alternatively, this file can be downloaded, updated and then uploaded to make
modifications to the schedule of dates (see Import File below).
Import File
The Import File should be used to create respondents accounts for all studies using the ASA24
system as a food record. It can also be used to define accounts for recalls instead of using the
Wizard.
Researchers enter the information needed for creating Respondent Accounts into the Import
File template, available for download from the Researcher Website. The Import File template is
an Excel workbook with multiple worksheets and is described in more detail in the next section.
Once the Import File has been populated, it must be saved as a CSV file. Then, the Researcher
uploads the file to the Researcher Website on the Respondent Accounts page. The content and
structure of the Import File will be validated by the ASA24 system. Once validated, the ASA24
system will generate a file containing usernames and passwords for the Respondents Accounts.
Researchers are responsible for assigning and securely distributing account information to their
Respondents. After the initial Import File has been uploaded and validated, Researchers are
allowed to upload additional files to add new Respondents or to update new Intake Dates for
existing Respondents in a Scheduled study. Researchers can change the number of
Respondents or the number of recalls or records per Respondent by editing the study settings
using the Study Details screen. This should be done prior to attempting to upload new CSV
files.
Completing and uploading the Import File
Please ensure that you carefully follow the instructions to avoid delays in completing your study
setup (study Respondents will not be able to access the Respondent Website until the setup
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
29
process has been successfully completed). The Import File must be structured as described in
this section.
As noted above, a template of the Import File is available for download from the Researcher
Website. Please note that the template is provided as an Excel file rather than a CSV file to
enable the inclusion of instructions for Researchers. Because the template is an Excel file, we
refer to it as a workbook. The Excel workbook includes five worksheets as indicated by the tabs
along the bottom; the first is the actual template that Researchers will use to enter Respondent
data. The four remaining worksheets include sample data for a Scheduled Recall study, sample
data for an Unscheduled Recall study, sample data for a food record (both Consecutive and
Nonconsecutive) study, and troubleshooting tips.
You may populate the template worksheet of the spreadsheet with your data using Excel, but
the ImportFile_Template worksheet must be saved as a CSV file before it can be uploaded.
(Note: when saving an Excel workbook as a CSV file, only the data in the active sheet will be
retained in the CSV file. Make sure the worksheet ImportFile_Template is the active sheet
before saving.) The additional worksheets (i.e., sample data and troubleshooting tips) will not
be retained in the CSV file, so you may wish to save a copy of the Excel version for future use
and reference.
Before populating and uploading the Import File, ensure that you have selected the
correct study type (Scheduled or Unscheduled for recalls, Consecutive or
Nonconsecutive for records) within the Edit Study screen. The major difference in the
Import File between the study types is that the Researcher must provide a schedule of
Intake Dates to the ASA24 system for Scheduled recall studies, whereas this information
is not accepted for Unscheduled recall studies or food record studies. Respondents in
Scheduled studies can only access the ASA24 system on their specified Reporting Dates.
Respondents in Unscheduled or food record studies have unlimited access to the ASA24
system so long as they do not attempt to complete more than one recall or record
within the same reporting period, reach the maximum number of recalls or records
(refer to Key Considerations for Researchers for further details), or go beyond the study
end date. Please note that once a study has begun (i.e., Respondent Accounts have
been created), the Study Type (Scheduled or Unscheduled for recalls; Consecutive or
Nonconsecutive for records) cannot be changed.
The study type determines which columns in the Import File need to be populated by the
Researcher. If the information that you upload in the Import File does not match the study type
that you have selected, then the system will not accept your file and you will not receive
usernames and passwords for your Respondents.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
30
For a Scheduled study (recalls only), the Import File must include complete information
for SubjectID, Recall Number, Attempt, and Intake Date.
For an Unscheduled study (recalls only), only SubjectID is required. Leave the Recall
Number, Attempt, and Intake Date columns blank. Complete only one row per
Respondent, regardless of the number of recalls each Respondent is to complete.
For Consecutive or Nonconsecutive studies (records only), only SubjectID is required.
Leave the Recall Number, Attempt, and Intake Date columns blank. Complete only one
row per Respondent, regardless of the number of recalls each Respondent is to
complete.
The Import File columns are described below:
StudySubjectID: Applies to all study types. StudySubjectIDs must be provided to allow
ASA24 to generate usernames for study Respondents. Usernames will be composed of
the Study Abbreviation (provided at study registration) and the StudySubjectID.
Usernames are used in all ASA24 reports and files to enable the Researcher to link
ASA24 data with other study data. Please note that data in ASA24 reports are sorted
alphanumerically; Researchers may wish to use leading zeroes in StudySubjectIDs to
enable ordinal sorting (e.g., 0001, 0002, 0003, ..., 0010, ..., 0100, etc.).
Recall and Attempt Numbers: Should be filled in for Scheduled recall studies only. The
Import File must include one row (and a corresponding Intake Date/Period—see below)
for each recall attempt for every study Respondent. For example:
o For a study with four recalls per Respondent and one attempt per recall, there would be four rows per StudySubjectID , in the Recall Number column each row
would be numbered consecutively from 1 to 4, and in the Attempts column each
row would have the number 1 (Figure 6-15).
o For a study with two recalls per Respondent and three attempts per recall, there would be six rows per StudySubjectID with three rows per Recall Number, and in
the Attempts column each row will be numbered consecutively from 1 to 3
(Figure 6-16).
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
31
Figure 6-15. Recalls and Attempts, single attempt/recall
Figure 6-16. Recalls and Attempts, multiple attempts/recall
Intake Date: The Researcher specifies the date(s) of food consumption to be recalled.
The Reporting Date (the date on which the Respondent will access the ASA24 system to
complete the recall) will be calculated by the ASA24 system. The earliest allowable
intake date is the day prior to uploading of the Import File (in which case the Reporting
Date would be the current date).
Password: The Researcher may choose to supply a password for each StudySubjectID or
leave the Password column blank. If passwords are not supplied, they will be generated
by the ASA24 system following validation of the Import File.
o System-generated passwords will have at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, and one special character. If you plan to mail usernames and
passwords to Respondents using hard copies, you may wish to specify passwords
that are easier to decipher (e.g., Apples1#). If passwords are emailed to
Respondents, you may want to suggest that they copy and paste the password.
For security purposes, Respondent Website accounts are locked after five login
attempts using an invalid password. The Researcher can unlock Respondent
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
32
Accounts under the Manage Respondent tab by selecting the Manage
Respondent Accounts button.
PLEASE NOTE: A bug in some versions of Excel causes an error when an Import File without
passwords is uploaded. If you experience problems, please specify passwords and try again to
determine whether this resolves the issue. For additional troubleshooting information, refer to
the Frequently Asked Questions on the NCI ASA24 Website.
Table 6-1. Import File Specifications
StudySubjectID Required for all studies Unique identifier for each study Respondent assigned by Researcher Numbers only; up to 24 digits*
Recall Number Required for Scheduled recall studies only; blank for Unscheduled recall and food record studies
Positive integer Must be less than or equal to the maximum number of recalls selected in
Study Details
Attempt Required for Scheduled recall studies only; blank for Unscheduled recall and food record studies
Positive integer
Intake Date(s) Required for Scheduled recall studies only; blank for Unscheduled recall and food record studies
Format: mm/dd/yyyy Must be within the study start date and end date provided by Researcher The earliest allowable Intake Date is the date prior to uploading of the Import File (i.e., yesterday) (see Intake Date and Reporting Date in Key Terms)
Password For all study types, may be specified by the Researcher or left black to be generated by the ASA24 system.
8-14 characters At least one special character (no single or double quotes, vertical bar,
comma, or backslash)
A combination of letters and numbers and/or a combination of upper and lower case letters
Examples of valid passwords: storage!3, #TqBfJoTlD$, or 2hrd2Gs! Examples of invalid passwords:
funnybunny! [must include an uppercase letter and/or a number to be valid]
$3rT$ [too short]
2easyToForget [must include a special character]
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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* Note that if you are working with Excel, a StudySubjectID that contains more than 15 digits may not show completely depending upon column width. Excel may apply automatic formatting to the password column. The file is best viewed using a text editor, such as Windows Notepad or TextEdit (or SimpleText) for Mac.
Notes regarding the format of the Import File:
Column headers cannot be changed (however, headers are not case sensitive).
No extra headers or columns are permitted.
Blank rows for file readability are permitted.
Sample populated spreadsheets appear in Figure 6-17 and Figure 6-18 (Scheduled recall
studies) and Figure 6-19 and Figure 6-20 (Unscheduled recall and food record studies).
Figure 6-17. Sample Import File for Scheduled Study (passwords generated by the ASA24 system)
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
34
Figure 6-18. Sample Import File for Scheduled Study (passwords provided by Researcher)
Figure 6-19. Sample Import File for Unscheduled Recall and Food Records Studies (passwords generated by the ASA24 system)
Figure 6-20. Sample Import File for Unscheduled Recall and Food Records Studies (passwords provided by Researcher)
Once the Import File has been populated with the required information for the study type, save
the spreadsheet ImportFile_Template as a CSV file. (To do this, ensure that the
ImportFile_Template is the active sheet and use the Save as command in Excel and select CSV
as the file type. Only the active sheet will be converted to CSV; the additional worksheets
including sample data and troubleshooting tips will not appear in the CSV file.)
Upload the CSV file to the Researcher Website (note that this can only be done once a study has
been set up —see Setting Up a Study for details). To upload the completed Import File, go to
the Respondent Accounts tab from the Researcher site home page. Select Browse to locate the
CSV file on your computer. Once you locate the file, select the Upload the completed Import
File (.csv) button; this uploads the CSV file to the ASA24 system.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
35
The uploaded file will be validated for errors and, if problems are detected, data on errors will
be provided immediately. Errors should be fixed on the original spreadsheet, which should be
uploaded again as a .csv file once corrected.
A pop-up message will provide the Researcher with a link to the Username and Password file
(Figure 6-21); this file will also be available to download on the Respondent Accounts tab.
Additional information, such as Reporting Date, can be downloaded from the Track
Recalls/Records tab.
Figure 6-21. Pop-up Message Following Successful Import File Upload.
The last line of the first Usernames and Passwords file downloaded for a specific study includes
information for a study demonstration account (Demo_User Account) that can be used to view
customizations made to the Respondent Website (e.g., logo, welcome, and thank-you text), as
well as to complete one or more practice 24HR or food record. 24HR and food record data
entered to the Respondent Website using the Demo_User Account do not appear in the study
reports or analytic files.
While Excel provides a convenient way to view CSV files, passwords with special characters may
not display correctly due to automatic formatting applied by Excel. The downloaded Username
and Passwords file is best viewed using a text editor, such as Windows Notepad, TextEdit, or
SimpleText (for Mac).
Once usernames and passwords have been downloaded and saved, the Researcher can contact
study Respondents to provide them with the ASA24 Respondent Website URL
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
36
(https://asa24.nci.nih.gov), username, and password information. Once Respondents begin
entering recall or record data into the ASA24 Respondent Website, the Researcher can visit the
Researcher Website to obtain reports on the status of recalls or records and analytic files with
food and nutrient data. Details on reports and analytic files are provided in the following
sections (see Data Analysis).
Managing Respondent Accounts
Once Respondent Accounts have been created (either through the Import File or through the
Respondent Accounts Wizard), study staff can make necessary changes, including deleting
accounts, changing passwords, or locking or unlocking accounts on the Manage Respondent
Accounts page of the Respondent Accounts tab (Figure 6-22). The Respondent Accounts tab
includes both the Manage Respondent Accounts and Create Respondent Accounts pages; to
toggle between them, select the Create Respondent Accounts button on the Manage
Respondent Accounts page or the Manage Respondent Accounts button if you are on the
Create Respondent Accounts page.
Figure 6-22. Manage Respondent Accounts
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
37
To Find a Respondent, enter the username in the box and select the Go button. The
table will display the details for the username entered.
To Delete a Respondent, select the check box in the Select column next to the
Respondent username and select the Delete Selected link above the table. Note that all
data associated with the Respondent username will be deleted from the study and
cannot be retrieved.
To Lock a Respondent's Account, select the check box in the Locked column in the row
with the Respondent's name and select the Save button below the table. Locking the
account prevents the Respondent from accessing the ASA24 Respondent Website.
To Unlock a Respondent's Account, deselect the check box in the Locked column in the
row with the Respondent's name (this box should be checked if the account is already
locked) and select the Save button below the table. A Respondent’s account may be
locked manually to prevent access (see above) or automatically as a result of 5 failed
login attempts.
To Reset a Respondent's Password, select the key icon in the Reset Password
column in the row with the Respondent's name. You will then be prompted to enter a
new password.
To Select All Respondents in the table, use the Select All link above the table.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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7. Monitoring Study Progress
Researchers can monitor study progress by tracking completion of recalls and records on the
Track Recall/Record tab.
Data can be viewed for all recalls/records for all Respondents, or by a subset of Respondents or
a subset of recalls/records by filtering on specific criteria. Respondent-level data contain
summary information about Respondents (i.e., one row per Respondent) (Figure 7-1 below).
Viewing Respondent-level data enables a Researcher to identify the overall status of a
Respondent (e.g., date of next Scheduled recall, number of recalls or records completed).
Recall- and record-level data contain summary information about attempts (i.e., one row per
attempt) (Figure 7-2 below). For Unscheduled recalls and food records there can only be one
attempt per recall/record, so this is equivalent to one row per recall/record. Viewing
recall/record-level data enables the Researcher to view information about a specific attempt
(e.g., completed or started but not finished, reporting date, etc.).
In addition, filters can be applied. To filter, select the relevant study from the top of the page
and select any options you wish to use as filters; then select Filter to display the results. The
results are presented in data grids, which can be downloaded using the Export buttons. These
files will be available as CSV files.
Respondents Tab (Figure 7-1)
Column fields in the reports generated using the Respondents tab are as follows (note that
some fields do not apply to Unscheduled studies or to studies collecting records):
StudyID
Username
Next Recall (for Scheduled recall studies only)
Next Attempt (for Scheduled recall studies only)
Next Reporting Date (for Scheduled recall studies only)
Completed Recalls and Records
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Figure 7-1 Track Recall / Record, by Respondent
Recall/Record Tab (Figure 7-2)
Using the Recall/Record tab, the Researcher can view information for all study recalls/records
(Figure 7-2) or filter data based on specified criteria. Grids viewed using the Recall/Record tab
will include as many rows per Respondent as there are recalls or records and attempts (e.g.,
two recalls with four attempts would have eight rows). This screen is useful for obtaining past
or future information about Respondents’ recalls/records.
If the Respondent Nutrition Report option (only available for recalls collected using ASA24-2016
US version) was selected during study setup, Researchers can obtain the report by selecting
“View” in the Nutrition Report column on the Researcher website (see Figure 7-2). “View” will
only be available for Respondents who, after they completed their recall, indicated that they
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
40
would like a Respondent Nutrition Report. After selecting “View” on the row for a Username, a
new page will open with the contents of the report. Please note, Respondent Nutrition Reports
are not available for ASA24-ASA24-Canada-2016 or ASA24-Australia-2016.
No feedback is provided by the ASA24 system to Respondents for versions prior to 2016, and
output files available from the Researcher site are not formatted for the lay public. However,
Researchers, clinicians or staff can use the output files to provide information to Respondents
as they desire
Column fields in the reports generated using the Recall/Record tab include the following:
Username
Reporting Date
Completion Status
Number of Sessions (number of log-ins)
Total Session Duration
Language (in which the recall/record was completed)
Calories (consumed during recall/record day)
Number of Eating Occasions (i.e. meals, snacks, drinks)
Number of Food Codes
Nutrition Report (also known as the Respondent Nutrition Report)
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Figure 7-2 Track Recall / Record, By Recall / Record
Filtering Grids
Researchers can also filter by recalls/records completed during a specific date range or for a
specific Respondent. To filter for recalls/records completed by a specific Respondent, enter the
Respondent’s username in the corresponding field on the page. Then select any other relevant
search criteria – i.e., date range, recall/record completion status – and use the Filter button at
the bottom of the tab to display the selections. To clear and start a new search or view
information for all Respondents, use the Clear Filter link at the top of the tab.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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8. Data Analysis
Once Respondents have entered recall/record data using the ASA24 Respondent Website, the
Researcher Website Analytic File tab enables the Researcher to request food and nutrient
analytic files for all versions.
Analyses can be run for all Respondents (batch) or for the last recall/record of one Respondent
(instant). Batch files are cumulative. The following files are generated for each request for
analytic files made via the Researcher Website:
Data file names for ASA24-2016, ASA24-Canada-2016 and ASA24-Australia-2016 versions:
Note the naming convention used for reports is: AbbreviatedStudyName_ReportSequenceNumber_ReportType.csv
Analysis Filename Content Description
Turtle_6225_Responses.csv MySelections Analysis File - Food and supplement names from
the Quick List, probe questions and answers.
Turtle_6223_Items.csv
Individual Foods Analysis File – FNDDS food codes (AUSNUT in
Australian version), gram weights, nutrients, and Food Pattern
Equivalents for each food reported (no Food Pattern
Equivalents in Australian version)
Turtle_6226_Totals.csv
Daily Total Analysis File – FNDDS nutrients codes (AUSNUT in
Australian version) and Food Pattern Equivalents for all foods in
a given day (no Food Pattern Equivalents in Australian version)
Turtle_6224_INS.csv
Individual Supplements Analysis File – Supplement Codes with
their nutrients – keeping only those nutrients which are related
to the FNDDS (AUSNUT Supplement Codes with their nutrients
in Australian version)
Turtle_6228_TS.csv
Daily Total Supplements Analysis File – total nutrients from all
supplements reported in a given day – keeping only those
ingredients which are related to the FNDDS (does not apply to
Australia version)
Turtle_6227_TNS.csv
Daily Total Nutrients from Foods and Supplements Analysis File
– FNDDS (AUSNUT in Australian version) nutrients from all foods
and supplements reported in a given day
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
43
Data file names for ASA24-2014 versions:
Note the naming convention used for reports is: AbbreviatedStudyName_ReportSequenceNumber_ReportType.csv
Analysis Filename Content Description
Mango_22_MS.csv MySelections Analysis File - Food and supplement names from
the Quick List, probe questions and answers.
Mango_ 23_INF.csv Individual Foods Analysis File – FNDDS food codes, gram
weights and nutrients for each food reported
Mango_ 24_TN.csv Daily Total Nutrients Analysis File - FNDDS nutrients from all
foods in a given day for each recall
Mango_ 25_INFMYPHEI.csv
Individual Foods MyPyramid HEI Analysis File – FNDDS Food
Codes, Gram weights, MyPyramid Equivalents and HEI Whole
Fruit variable
Mango_ 26_TNMYPHEI.csv
Daily Total Nutrients MyPyramid HEI Analysis File – FNDDS
MyPyramid Equivalents and HEI Whole Fruit variable from all
foods in a given day
Mango_ 27_INS.csv
Individual Supplements Analysis File – Supplement Codes with
their nutrients – keeping only those nutrients which are related
to the FNDDS
Mango_ 28_TS.csv
Daily Total Supplements Analysis File – total nutrients from all
supplements reported in a given day – keeping only those
ingredients which are related to the FNDDS
Mango_ 29_TNS.csv
Daily Total Nutrients from Foods and Supplements Analysis File
– FNDDS nutrients from all foods and supplements reported in
a given day
Below are some details about the types of data are available (see Appendices C-J for more
information about analysis files generated):
My Selections: Names of foods drinks, supplements reported and probe questions and
answers for each Respondent, by day.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
44
Individual Foods and Pyramid Equivalents: For each food and beverage item reported
for a recall or record day, this file contains a row that specifies the associated food
codes, gram weights, and nutrient values based on a database associated with each
version. For U.S. versions this is FNDDS; for Canadian versions it is the Canadian
Nutrient File; and for the Australian version it is the AUSNUT database. It also includes
the MyPyramid Equivalents (for all ASA24-2014 versions not including Canada) or Food
Patterns Equivalents for the U.S. version of ASA24-2016 and ASA24-Canada-2016.
MyPyramid Equivalents or Food Patterns Equivalents can be used by Researchers to
derive Healthy Eating Index (HEI) variables and scores (SAS code is available for
calculating HEI scores).
Daily Total Pyramid Equivalents: MyPyramid Equivalents or Food Patterns Equivalents
(not available for ASA24-Canada-2014 or ASA24-Australia-2016) from all foods reported,
by Respondent per day (each row is a day) based on the MPED or FPED, as well as total
nutrient values for foods from FNDDS. MyPyramid Equivalents or Food Patterns
Equivalents can be used by Researchers to derive HEI variables and scores (SAS code is
available for calculating HEI scores). As of the time of this documentation, food group
equivalents are not available for the Canadian version.
Additional information on the FNDDS, MPED, and FPED are available from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture. The versions of the databases applied depend on the ASA24 version (Appendix
B).
For studies in which the optional supplements module is selected in versions prior to 2016 or
when 2016 Respondents report supplements, Researchers will also receive up to three
additional analytic files:
Individual Supplements: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Dietary
Supplement Database (NHANES-DSD) supplement codes for U.S. versions, Licensed
Natural Product Database and NHANES-DSD supplement codes for Canadian version and
AUSNUT supplement codes for Australian version and nutrients for each supplement
reported by each Respondent, by recording day.
Daily Total Supplements: Nutrients from all supplements in a given day, by Respondent
and recording day.
Daily Total Nutrients from Foods and Supplements: Nutrients from foods and
supplements, by Respondent and recording day; this file includes only intakes that have
an entry in the Individual Supplements file.
The food, supplement, and nutrient databases used in each version of the Respondent Website
are available in Appendix B. Data dictionaries applicable to the 2016 and 2014 versions of the
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
45
ASA24 system Respondent sites are available in Appendices C-J. The data dictionaries and
sample output files are also provided on the Researcher site home page.
Requesting Analytic Files
To obtain nutrient and other results for Respondents, go to the Analytic Files tab (Figure 8-1)
and choose the study of interest from the Selected study drop-down menu.
Figure 8-1. Analytic Files Tab
The All Respondents (batch) option generates reports for all recalls/records completed to date.
A request number and estimated delivery time will be displayed. Typically, files requested for
all Respondents will be available by the next business day by 6 a.m. Eastern Time. To access the
files, return to the site the next business day and go to the Analytic Files tab (Figure 8-1). Select
the link in the Request File column to download and save files. The data files are provided in
CSV format and can be opened using Excel.
A Researcher can also view analyses for a single Respondent. The Respondent (instant) option
(Figure 8-2) allows the user to generate near real-time reports for a particular Respondent’s last
recall or record, which may be useful in a clinical or teaching setting. To request an instant
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
46
report, select One Respondent (instant) and enter the username for the Respondent of interest
in the text box. Select Submit and results will be returned in approximately 15 minutes. The
resulting files will include output for all recalls/records completed by the Respondent.
Figure 8-2. One Respondent (instant)
As with any data collection initiative, Researchers should carefully assess the quality of the
data. To assist Researchers in assessing data quality, analytic files include a status flag to
indicate whether a recall or record was completed (i.e., whether the Respondent completed
the recall/record through the last question). Refer to the data dictionaries for descriptions of
the variables (Appendices C-J). Incomplete recalls or records may be deemed acceptable by a
Researcher depending upon how far the Respondent made it through the program and what
data are missing (e.g., missing a valid response to the final question only, which queries
whether intake was usual, as opposed to missing details on portion size). It is also possible that
a Researcher may wish to exclude a recall or record coded as Complete by the ASA24 system
because the data entered by the Respondent are of poor quality. Tips on reviewing output data
are available.
9. Key Terms
ASA24 Help Desk: The ASA24 Help Desk is monitored by NCI-designated staff charged with
monitoring and maintaining the ASA24 Researcher and Respondent Websites. The
administrator provides general support to Researchers throughout study set-up and
administration. Email [email protected] to contact the Help Desk.
Attempts: For Scheduled Recall studies only (see below), Researchers can specify the number
of times a Respondent can try to complete each recall. For example, for a study collecting 3
days of recall data, the Researcher may choose to allow the Respondent 4 attempts (i.e., 4
different dates) to complete each recall, resulting in a total of 12 attempts. This information will
be specified by the Researcher as part of the study setup process.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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Consecutive Recalls: Researchers may wish to have Respondents complete recalls for
consecutive days, in order to obtain data for periods longer than 24 hours. However, given that
it is possible to collect food records using all 2016 versions of ASA24, Researchers should
consider if this is a better option than collecting Consecutive Recalls. Consecutive recalls are
possible only under the following conditions:
(1) Intake Time frame of Midnight to Midnight and Respondents must finish reporting in 24 hours OR
(2) Intake Time frame of Last 24 Hours and Respondents logging in to the system at the exact same time each day.
For example, in a study with an Intake Time frame of Last 24 Hours, if a Respondent logs in at
noon on Monday for the first recall and noon on Tuesday for the second recall, information on
food and drinks consumed during the previous 48 hours will be captured. However, if a
Respondent logs in at noon on Monday and 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, information on food and
drinks consumed from noon to 2:00 p.m. on Monday will be missing.
Consecutive recalls are not possible for studies with an Intake Time frame of Midnight to
Midnight if Respondents must finish reporting in 32 hours.
Consecutive-Day Record (records only): For studies with Consecutive Records, Respondents
report dietary intake for two or more consecutive days. A Consecutive Record will begin on the
first day a Respondent logs in. If Researchers choose a Consecutive study type, they must
specify the maximum Number of Consecutive Days that Respondents will report for a Record. If
collecting multiple consecutive day Records, the number of consecutive days for each record
must be the same. For example, a Researcher wishing to collect a three-day record would enter
“3” as the maximum number of consecutive days. If they wanted to collect a second record
within the same study, it must also be a three-day food record.
Data Dictionary: A data dictionary identifies the contents of an analytic file, including the
names of the nutrient fields. Data dictionaries are available for download from the Researcher
Website home and included as Appendices C-J.
Demo_User Account: For each registered study, a Demo_User Account is provided that enables
Researchers to view customizations they make to the Respondent Website (e.g., logo, welcome
and thank-you text, optional modules) and to complete one or more practice recalls or records.
The Demo_User Account details are included in the first username/password file that is
downloaded as part of the process of creating Respondent accounts. Recall data entered to the
Respondent Website using the Demo_User Account do not appear in the study reports or
analytic files.
Intake Date (applies to recalls only): The Intake Date is the date for which a Respondent will
report their food and drink consumption. If a Respondent is providing intake information from
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
48
Midnight to Midnight the previous day, then the Intake Date will be that day. If a Respondent is
providing intake information for the Last 24 Hours, the Intake Period will generally span two
calendar dates, and the Intake Date will be the later of the two dates.
Intake Time frame (applies to recalls only): The Intake Time frame refers to the 24-hour period
for which Respondents will recall their food and drink consumption. The Time frame will be
either: Midnight to Midnight or the Last 24 Hours, as defined by the Researcher during study
setup.
Nonconsecutive Day Record (applies to records only): For studies with Nonconsecutive
records, Respondents can report any number of nonconsecutive, single-day Records. For either
study type.
Recall/Record Number: The Recall/Record Number for each recall or record completed by a
Respondent is displayed in the analytic files that can be downloaded from the site (see Data
Analysis).
Reporting Date: For recalls, The Reporting Date is the date on which the Respondent accesses
ASA24 and reports food and drink intake for either the previous day from Midnight to Midnight
or for the Last 24 Hours. For records, the reporting date can be the same day as the intake date.
The Reporting Date for an intake is displayed on the output files that can be downloaded from
the Analytic Files tab.
Researcher: The term Researcher may denote a researcher, clinician, instructor, member of the
study staff, or other health professional accessing the ASA24 Researcher site.
Respondent: The term Respondent includes anyone completing a recall on the ASA24
Respondent site. In any given study or research findings, researchers may choose to use other
terms such as participant or study subject; this term is meant to encompass these and other
synonyms.
Respondent Nutrition Reports: If Researchers have selected this option, Respondents are
provided with the opportunity to obtain formatted reports that provide information on how
their daily intake of nutrients and food groups compares to dietary guidance. These reports are
also available to Researchers. These reports are not available for ASA24-Canada-2016 or ASA24-
Australia-2016.
Scheduled Recall Study (recalls only): A Scheduled Study is one in which Intake Dates are
predetermined during study set-up and the ASA24 system permits access only on the applicable
Reporting Dates. By limiting access, the Scheduled study approach is helpful in ensuring that
Respondents complete their recalls on the dates desired by the Researcher. Reporting Dates
can be generated by the Respondent Accounts Wizard or accessed through the Track Recalls
tab that used the Intake Dates from the uploaded Import File. For scheduled studies, dates can
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
49
be set for multiple attempts (i.e., backup dates) for each recall in case the Respondent does not
complete the recall on the assigned date.
Session: Throughout the ASA24 site, the term session is used to signify a period during which a
Respondent is continuously logged in to the site. When setting up a study that will collect
recalls, Researchers can choose whether Respondents will be allowed a single session per recall
or multiple sessions. The ASA24 system will automatically log a Respondent out after 30
minutes of inactivity; this allows the Respondent to step away from their computer for a brief
period while completing a recall within a single session. As records are to be completed in real
time, it is expected that Respondents will log in and out of the website multiple times. Each of
these sessions is recorded.
Study Abbreviation: The Study Abbreviation or Short Study Name is provided by the Researcher
when setting up a new study. It must be unique to the ASA24 system and is composed of three
to six letters or numbers with no spaces. The username for each Respondent in a study will be a
combination of the Study Abbreviation and the StudyID.
StudyID: Researchers must supply an original study identifier for each Respondent, either
through the Respondent Accounts Wizard or through the Import File. The StudyID is used on all
reports and analytic files to enable the Researcher to link ASA24 data with other study data. It
must be composed of numbers only, up to a maximum of 24 digits.
Unscheduled Recall Study (applies to recalls only): An Unscheduled Recall Study is one in
which Intake Dates and Reporting Dates are not scheduled within the ASA24 system, requiring
the Researcher to manage the timing of recalls outside the ASA24 system. Researchers should
bear in mind that when the unscheduled study option is selected, Respondents’ access to the
ASA24 system will not be limited to certain dates.
Usernames and Passwords: Each ASA24 system user must have a username and password to
log into the Researcher or Respondent websites. Researchers and study staff are assigned
usernames and passwords to access the Researcher Site. For Respondents, the username will
be composed of the Study Abbreviation and the StudyID specified by the Researcher.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
50
10. Tips for Managing Studies Using the ASA24 System
Pilot Studies
Researchers are encouraged to conduct a pilot study to demonstrate or test the utility of the
ASA24 system in their study population. Researchers can either register the pilot study by
entering all of the necessary information or by uploading dedicated StudySubjectIDs for piloting
and testing. Refer to the instructions for Registering to use the ASA24 system.
Large Studies (100,000 or more Respondents) with Waves
If desired, Researchers can treat each wave of data collection (e.g., baseline and follow-up
recalls or records) as a separate study. It will be possible to view information about all of the
studies from the Researcher Website. Data from the waves can be downloaded and merged
together and with other study data.
Multi-site Studies
Researchers with multi-site studies can treat each site as a separate study. The coordinating
center or principal investigator can have access to all sites and each site can designate
particular staff to have access to their data. Alternatively, Researchers can have one large study
with their own designation of site.
Adding Respondents
Researchers can append new Respondents to an existing study, as needed, by using the
Respondent Accounts Wizard or uploading a new Import File (see Setting Up a Study). This is
particularly useful for studies with rolling enrollment.
Adding Recalls or Records
To add additional recalls or records to an existing study, use the Respondent Accounts Wizard
(recalls only) or upload a new Import File (see Setting Up a Study). All new Intake Dates must be
from the present day forward.
Access from a Study Website
Some studies may have a centralized Website for study Respondents. Please use the Contact Us
function from the Researcher Website to contact the ASA24 Help Desk
([email protected]) regarding single sign-on options to enable your Respondents to
access ASA24™ from your study Website. A redirect to the ASA24 Respondent Website can be
provided, meaning the Respondent would not require an additional username and password to
log into and use the ASA24 system.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
51
11. Helpful Links
NCI ASA24 Website
Includes background information, downloadable resources for study participants and
staff, and FAQs
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/ASA24
NCI ASA24 Canada version
http://asa24.ca/
NCI ASA24 Australian version
https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/respondent/australia.html
ASA24 Researcher Website
https://asa24.nci.nih.gov/researchersite/
Respondent Website demonstration
Users can choose among the available versions, including ASA24-2016, ASA24-2014,
and ASA24-Kids-2014
https://asa24.nci.nih.gov/demo/
Respondent Website
Respondents will be directed to ASA24, ASA24-Kids, or ASA24-Canada
based on study configuration
https://asa24.nci.nih.gov
Known Issues and Workarounds
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/issues.html
ASA24 Listserv
Allows potential/current users to communicate with the ASA24 team and other users
https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A0=ASA24-L
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
52
Appendix A: ASA24 Researcher Agreement
Electronic Certification (E-Certification) and Agreement for use of the Automated Self-
Administered 24HR ("ASA24") and Transfer of Data
Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program
Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
National Cancer Institute
PROVIDER: Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and
Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of
the United States Public Health Service (PHS) within the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS)
RECIPIENT: Academic and clinical researchers conducting observational studies with human
subjects
DATA: Human dietary intake data requested by the RECIPIENT and supplied by the PROVIDER
under this Agreement from the database associated with Automated Self-Administered 24HR
(“ASA24”) Researcher Website. “DATA” does not mean the database or software used to create
and run the ASA24 Website.
Read the Terms of Agreement carefully; RECIPIENT must agree to these terms to use the ASA24
system and receive the DATA.
In response to RECIPIENT's request for the DATA identified above, the PROVIDER and the
RECIPIENT agree to the following:
1. The DATA are the property of the PROVIDER for distribution purposes and are made available as a service to the research community.
2. The RECIPIENT will not use the DATA unless it has obtained all appropriate clearances to use the data, including but not limited to clearance by an Institutional Review Board or
equivalent governing body. The RECIPIENT agrees to use the DATA in compliance with all
applicable statutes and regulations.
3. The RECIPIENT may redistribute DATA to third parties for research, clinical, and academic purposes.
4. The RECIPIENT agrees to acknowledge the source of the DATA in any publications reporting use of the DATA.
5. Any DATA delivered pursuant to this Agreement are understood to be experimental in nature. THE PROVIDER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS AND EXTENDS NO WARRANTIES OF
ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. THERE ARE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
53
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR THAT
THE USE OF THE DATA WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK, OR
OTHER PROPRIETARY RIGHTS.
6. No indemnification for any loss, claim, damage, or liability is intended or provided by any party under this agreement. Each party shall be liable for any loss, claim damage, or
liability that said party incurs as a result of said party's activities under this agreement,
except that the PROVIDER, as an agency of the United States, assumes liability only to the
extent as provided under the Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. Chapter 171). If the
RECIPIENT is a component of or an agency of a State government, then RECIPIENT
assumes liability only to the extent authorized under the laws of the State or
Commonwealth.
7. RECIPIENT agrees not to claim, infer, or imply endorsement of the RECIPIENT by the PROVIDER and by the Government of the United States of America.
8. Upon request by the PROVIDER, the RECIPIENT will perform any of the following as directed by the PROVIDER: (a) immediately cease use of the DATA; (b) dispose of DATA in
the RECIPIENT's possession.
Any false or misleading statements made, presented, or submitted to the Government,
including any relevant omissions, under this Agreement are subject to all applicable civil and
criminal statutes including Federal statutes 31 U.S.C. §§ 3801 3812 (civil liability) and 18 U.S.C. §
1001 (criminal liability including fine(s) and/or imprisonment).
By accepting the terms of this agreement, the RECIPIENT certifies that the information
submitted by the RECIPIENT is true, complete, and accurate to the best of RECIPIENT's
knowledge. The person accepting the terms of this agreement for the RECIPIENT has the
requisite power and authority to accept the terms of this Agreement.
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
54
Appendix B: Nutrients and Food Groups Included in ASA24 Analysis Reports
Nutrients in ASA24 are provided by USDA’s FNDDS, while the food group data is provided by the
MyPyramid Equivalents Database and the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion’s fruit
database. The following table lists the versions of FNDDS and MPED used for each release of
ASA24.
Nutrient, Food Group, and Supplement Databases by Respondent Website version
ASA24-Beta (Released 2009,
no longer available)
ASA24-2011 ASA24-Kids-2012
ASA24-2014 ASA24-Kids-2014
ASA24-Canada-2014
ASA24-2016 ASA24-Canada-2016 ASA24-Australia-2016
Food codes
and nutrient
values
Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Surveys (FNDDS), version 1.0.
Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Surveys (FNDDS), version 4.1. The nutrients included are listed below.
Canada: Canadian Nutrient File
(CNF2015) which is in part based on
FNDDS 4.1
ASA24-2016: Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Surveys (FNDDS), 2011-12
ASA24-Canada-2016:
Canadian Nutrient File
(CNF2015) supplemented
with FNDDS 2009-10
(version 5.0) and 2011-12
ASA24-Australia-2016: Australian Food, Supplement and Nutrient Database (AUSNUT) 2011-13 Nutrient File*
MyPyramid
Equivalents
MyPyramid Equivalents Database (MPED), version 1.0.
MyPyramid Equivalents Database (MPED) version 2.0 supplemented with the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion MPED Addendum to allow compatibility with FNDDS 4.1; nutritionists on the ASA24™ team imputed values for 9 food codes for which MyPyramid Equivalents have not yet been assigned by USDA.
Canada: not available
ASA24-2016 and ASA24- Canada-2016: Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) 2011-12
ASA24-Australia-2016: Not available
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
55
ASA24-Beta (Released 2009,
no longer available)
ASA24-2011 ASA24-Kids-2012
ASA24-2014 ASA24-Kids-2014
ASA24-Canada-2014
ASA24-2016 ASA24-Canada-2016 ASA24-Australia-2016
Supplement
codes
and nutrient
values
Not applicable. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Dietary Supplements Database, 2007-2008.
Canada: Licensed Natural Health
Products Database; some linked to
the 2007-2008 NHANES Dietary
Supplement Database
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Dietary Supplements Database, 2011-12
Canada: Licensed Natural
Health Products
Database; some linked to
the 2007-2008 NHANES
Dietary Supplement
Database
Australia: AUSNUT 2011-
13 Supplement Nutrient
File
*Australian version does not include the following nutrients: energy (without dietary fibre),
available carbohydrate (without sugar alcohols), starch, ash, total long chain omega 3 fatty
acids, total trans fatty acids, pro-vitamin A, niacin derived equivalents, iodine, tryptophan.
Information about the nutrient and food group databases is available using the links below:
FNDDS FPED 2011-2012 MPED version 2.0 AUSNUT 2011-13
List of Nutrients and Food Groups Included in the ASA24 Analysis Reports
Researchers, clinicians, and educators can use the ASA24 system to analyze 65 nutrients and 37
food groups (U.S. and Canadian versions) from food recall or record data. Analyses for ASA24-
Australia-2016 provide 41 nutrients and no food groups.
Note: ASA24-Australia-2016 is based on the Australian Food, Supplement and Nutrient
Database (AUSNUT) 2011-13. The AUSNUT file does not contain some nutrients that are
included in the U.S. databases used to create ASA24; therefore, 24 of the nutrient
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
56
variables in the analytic files contain no data. Missing nutrients in the Australian version
are noted with an * below. Additionally, ten nutrients (energy without dietary fibre,
available carbohydrate without sugar alcohols, starch, ash, total long chain omega 3
fatty acids, total trans fatty acids, pro-vitamin A, Niacin derived equivalents, iodine,
tryptophan) that are included in the AUSNUT file are not available in ASA24-Australia-
2016. Note also that there is currently no food group database associated with the
Australian version.
More information is available is available on the nutrient and food group databases used for all
versions of ASA24. A full description of these categories can be viewed here.
The ASA24 data analysis files provide data on the following nutrients and food groups:
NUTRIENTS
*Not available in the Australian version.
Macronutrients & Energy
Energy (kcal; kJ in AUS version)
Protein (g)
Total Fat (g)
Carbohydrate (g)
Water (g)
Alcohol (g)
Sugars, total (g)
Fiber, total dietary (g)
Vitamins
Folate, total (mcg)
Folic acid (mcg)
Folate, food (mcg)
Folate, DFE (mcg_DFE)
Niacin (mg)
Retinol (mcg)
Riboflavin (mg)
Thiamin (mg)
Vitamin A, RAE (mcg_RAE)
Vitamin B-6 (mcg)
Vitamin B-12 (mcg)
Added Vitamin B-12 (mcg)*
Vitamin C (mg)
Vitamin D (D2 + D3) (mcg)*
Vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol (mg)
Added Vitamin E (mg)
Vitamin K, phylloquinone (mcg)*
Minerals
Calcium (mg)
Copper (mg)*
Iron (mg)
Magnesium (mg)
Phosphorus (mg)
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
57
Potassium (mg)
Sodium (mg)
Selenium (mcg)
Zinc (mg)
Carotenoids
α Carotene (mcg)*
β Carotene (mcg)
β Cryptoxanthin (mcg)*
Lycopene (mcg)*
Lutein + Zeaxanthin (mcg)*
Fats and Cholesterol
Total Fat (g)
Cholesterol (mg)
Fatty acids, total saturated (g)
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated (g)
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated (g)
Specific Fatty Acids
4:0, Butanoic acid (g)*
6:0, Hexanoic acid (g)*
8:0, Octanoic acid (g)*
10:0, Decanoic acid (g)*
12:0, Dodecanoic acid (g)*
14:0, Tetradecanoic acid (g)*
16:0, Hexadecanoic acid (g)*
18:0, Octadecanoic acid (g)*
16:1, Hexadecenoic acid, undifferentiated
(g)*
18:1, Octadecenoic acid, undifferentiated
(g)*
20:1, Eicosenoic acid, undifferentiated (g)*
22:1, Docosenoic acid, undifferentiated (g)*
18:2, Octadecadienoic acid (g)
18:3, Octadecatrienoic acid (g)
18:4, Octadecatetraenoic acid (g)*
20:4, Eicosatetraenoic acid (g)*
20:5 n-3, Eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] (g)
22:5 n-3, Docosapentaenoic acid [DPA] (g)
22:6 n-3, Docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] (g)
Other Substances
Caffeine (mg)
Theobromine (mg)*
Choline, total (mg)*
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
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FOOD GROUP EQUIVALENTS (U.S and Canadian versions only)
4 Fruit categories expressed in cup equivalents including:
Total fruits
Whole citrus, melons, berries
Whole other fruits
Fruit juices
10 Vegetable categories expressed in cup equivalents including:
Total vegetable (excludes legumes)
Dark green vegetables
Total red and orange vegetables
Tomatoes and tomato products
Other red and orange vegetables
Total starchy vegetables
White potatoes
Other starchy vegetables
All other vegetables
Legumes (beans and peas) computed as vegetables
3 Grain categories expressed in ounce equivalents including:
Total whole and refined grains
Total whole grains
Total refined grains
12 Protein categories expressed in ounce equivalents including:
Total meat (includes eggs, soy, nuts and seeds; excludes legumes)
Total meat (excluding eggs and vegetable sources)
Beef, veal, pork, lamb and game meat
Cured meats
Organ meat
ASA24 Researcher Instructions
59
Poultry
Seafood high in n-3 fatty acids
Seafood low in n-3 fatty acids
Eggs and egg substitutes
Soy products excluding soy milk
Peanuts, tree nuts and seeds
Beans and peas (legumes) computes as protein foods
4 Dairy categories expressed in cup equivalents including:
Total milk, yogurt, cheese, and whey
Fluid milk products
Yogurt
Cheese
2 Fat categories expressed in grams including:
Fats naturally present in vegetable sources
Fats naturally present in meat sources
1 Added Sugar category expressed in teaspoon equivalents
1 Alcohol category expressed as number of drinks
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Appendix C: Responses/My Selections Data Dictionary
Use these links to view the data dictionary for the file containing the response selections made by participants.
ASA24-2016 Response File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S. and Canada ASA24-2016 Response File Data Dictionary for a Record for U.S. and Canada
ASA24-2016 Response File Data Dictionary for a Recall for Australia ASA24-2016 Response File Data Dictionary for a Record for Australia
ASA24-2014 My Selections File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
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Appendix D: Individual Foods and Nutrient (INF) Data Dictionary
Use this link to view the data dictionary for the file containing nutrient information for individual foods.
ASA24-2014 INF File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
This file is not available in ASA24-2016, ASA24-Canada-2016 and ASA24-Australia-2016.
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Appendix E: Items/Individual Foods and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary
Use these links to view the data dictionaries for the files containing nutrient and food group information for individual foods.
ASA24-2016 Items File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S. and Canada ASA24-2016 Items File Data Dictionary for a Record for U.S. and Canada
ASA24-2016 Items File Data Dictionary for a Recall for Australia ASA24-2016 Items File Data Dictionary for a Record for Australia
ASA24-2014 INFMYPHEI File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
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Appendix F: Daily Total Nutrients Data Dictionary
Use this link to view the data dictionary for the file containing total nutrient information for an intake day.
ASA24-2014 My Selections File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
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Appendix G: Totals/Daily Total Nutrient and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary
Use these links to view the data dictionaries for the files containing total nutrient and food group information for an intake day.
ASA24-2016 Totals File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S. and Canada ASA24-2016 Totals File Data Dictionary or a Record for U.S. and Canada
ASA24-2016 Totals File Data Dictionary for a Recall for Australia ASA24-2016 Totals File Data Dictionary for a Record for Australia
ASA24-2014 TNMYPHEI File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
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Appendix H: Individual Supplements Data Dictionary
Use these links to view the data dictionaries for the files containing nutrient information for individual supplements.
ASA24-2016 INS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S. and Canada ASA24-2016 INS File Data Dictionary or a Record for U.S. and Canada
ASA24-2016 INS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for Australia ASA24-2016 INS File Data Dictionary for a Record for Australia
ASA24-2014 INS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
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Appendix I: Daily Total Supplements Data Dictionary
Use these links to view the data dictionaries for the files containing total nutrients for supplements for an intake day.
ASA24-2016 TS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S. and Canada ASA24-2016 TS File Data Dictionary or a Record for U.S. and Canada
ASA24-2016 TS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for Australia ASA24-2016 TS File Data Dictionary for a Record for Australia
ASA24-2014 TS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
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Appendix J: Daily Total Nutrients from Foods and Supplements Data Dictionary
Use these links to view the data dictionaries for the files containing total nutrients for foods and supplements for an intake day.
ASA24-2016 TNS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S. and Canada ASA24-2016 TNS File Data Dictionary or a Record for U.S. and Canada
ASA24-2016 TNS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for Australia ASA24-2016 TNS File Data Dictionary for a Record for Australia
ASA24-2014 TNS File Data Dictionary for a Recall for U.S., Kids, and Canada
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Appendix K: Modules
This section lists optional ASA24 modules which may be administered to Respondents.
Location Module
The Location module is activated by default because the recall of location may provide context
to aid Respondents in recalling what they ate at a meal; however, this module can be turned off
by the Researcher, if desired.
Home
Fast food Restaurant
Other Restaurant
Cafeteria
Bar or Tavern
Work (not in Cafeteria)
Car
Sports or entertainment venue
Someplace else
School, cafeteria
School, not in cafeteria
Don’t know
Food Source Module
The Food Source module queries about food source—i.e., where did the respondents get the
food (or most of the ingredients for it). Please note that if this module is selected a question
regarding source is asked for each food reported; selecting this module increases the time it
takes to complete a recall or record. Researchers may contact the ASA24 Help Desk
([email protected]) to create a custom source list.
If the food source module is selected, the location module must also be
selected.
Supermarket or grocery store
Convenience store
Other store (any type)
Produce stand, farmer’s market, orchard, or community supported agriculture (CSA)
organization
Fast food or drive-thru restaurant
Other restaurant, bar or tavern
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School cafeteria
Other cafeteria
Grown or caught by you or someone you know
Sport, recreation, or entertainment venue
Soup kitchen, shelter, or food pantry
Street vendor or vending truck
Vending machine
Child care center, day care, or camp
Residential dining facility or adult day care center
Other
Don’t know
TV/Computer Use Module
The TV and Computer Use module collects information about TV and computer use during
meals.
Watching TV
Using a Computer or laptop
Using a mobile phone or tablet
Neither of these
Ate With Module
The Ate With module collects information about who the respondent ate with.
o Yes (Indicate if Family Member or Other) o No
Supplement Module
The Supplement module collects data about the supplements that were taken for the data
collection period for a recall or record. In ASA24 versions prior to 2016, if the Supplement
module is turned on, Respondents report supplements after reporting foods and beverages. In
the 2016 versions of ASA24, Respondents can report supplements at the same time they report
foods and beverages, regardless if this module is turned on. However, if this module is turned
on in ASA24-2016, reminders to include supplements are included.
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Respondent Nutrition Report Module (available for recalls for 2016 versions only)
Researchers can choose to provide reports to Respondents that compare daily nutrient and
food group intakes to dietary guidance for ASA24-2016 (U.S. version and recalls only). If
chosen, at the time a Respondent completes reporting for a recall, they will be asked if they
would like a report. If yes, they will be asked to answer questions about sex and age and a
downloadable report will immediately be generated for that day. View a sample report.
- Structure Bookmarks
- Instructions for the ASA24 Researcher Website: 2016 and 2014 Versions
- Contents
- Tables
- Figures
- 1. About the ASA24 System
- 2. Key Considerations for Researchers
- 3. System Requirements
- 4. Registering to Use the ASA24 System
- 5. Overview of the ASA24 Researcher Website
- 6. Setting Up a Study
- 7. Monitoring Study Progress
- 8. Data Analysis
- 9. Key Terms
- 10. Tips for Managing Studies Using the ASA24 System
- 11. Helpful Links
- Appendix A: ASA24 Researcher Agreement
- Appendix B: Nutrients and Food Groups Included in ASA24 Analysis Reports
- Appendix C: Responses/My Selections Data Dictionary
- Appendix D: Individual Foods and Nutrient (INF) Data Dictionary
- Appendix E: Items/Individual Foods and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary
- Appendix F: Daily Total Nutrients Data Dictionary
- Appendix G: Totals/Daily Total Nutrient and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary
- Appendix H: Individual Supplements Data Dictionary
- Appendix I: Daily Total Supplements Data Dictionary
- Appendix J: Daily Total Nutrients from Foods and Supplements Data Dictionary
- Appendix K: Modules
