ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of 3 diet history questions on the amount and type of diet-related information gathered from pet owners and to assess whether diet-related information obtained with each question in person differed from information obtained with a diet history survey. SAMPLE: 99 pet owners. PROCEDURES: Participants' responses to 1 of 3 randomly selected diet history questions ("Tell me everything he [or she] eats throughout a day, starting first thing in the morning right through to the end of the day"; "What kind of food does she [or he] eat?"; or "What kind of foods does he [or she] eat?") were recorded and coded for analysis. Participants completed a postinteraction diet history survey. Amount and type of diet-related information obtained were compared among responses to the 3 diet history questions and between the response to each question and the diet history survey. RESULTS: The "Tell me " question elicited a significantly higher total number of diet-related items (combined number of main diet, treat, human food, medication, and dietary supplement items) than did the "What kind of food " or "What kind of foods " questions. The diet history survey captured significantly more information than did the "What kind of food " or "What kind of foods " questions; there was little difference between results of the diet history survey and the "Tell me " question, except that treats were more frequently disclosed on the survey. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings reinforced the value of using broad, open questions or requests that invite expansion from clients for gathering diet-related information.
