The report turns records into estimates and comparisons. To interpret it correctly, keep three things separate: results calculated from your data, values taken from a reference and sections where the available information is insufficient.
The diary is checked first#
Calculations use days where food was recorded in enough detail. One snack or one meal does not make a complete day. Partial days remain in the history but are not treated like complete records.
The first report unlocks after at least 20 complete food-log days and weight data on at least 10 different days within one 30-day window. Precision still varies by section. A calculation is omitted or labeled when its own input is insufficient.
Maintenance calories remain an estimate#
When the records are sufficient, Calk compares recorded intake with the weight trend and shows estimated maintenance calories with an uncertainty range.
When personal data is limited, Calk uses a calculation based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and an activity factor. The report identifies which method was used. Neither result is a direct measurement of metabolism.
Nutrients are compared with references#
Vitamins and minerals are compared with EFSA dietary reference values for the relevant age and sex. The percentage describes how much of the reference appeared in an average complete day of recorded food.
The percentage describes the diary. It cannot confirm nutritional adequacy or diagnose a deficiency.
The two food scores answer different questions#
The nutrient-density matrix compares foods you recorded. For each food, it adds its contribution per 100 g across protein, fiber, nine vitamins and minerals, then subtracts saturated fat, sugar and salt. Every component is capped so that one extreme value cannot dominate the result. This is Calk’s NRF11.3 adaptation of the published NRF9.3 approach Fulgoni 2009.
The Variety Map has a different job. Color shows whether a food appeared in the month. Its smaller number is a precomputed score across a broader set of nutrients, with an additional plant-compound bonus for produce. It helps order suggestions inside a food group; it is not a personalized health grade.
Both scores describe food data per 100 g. Neither says how much of that food you should eat, and neither replaces the full pattern of meals, portions and medical context.
What the report cannot know#
- Calk cannot see food that was not recorded.
- Restaurant portions and preparation details may differ from the entry.
- A photograph cannot determine the exact amount of oil, sauce or sugar.
- A food diary cannot replace laboratory tests, a diagnosis or professional care.
Every report ends with notes explaining its main figures and a list of calculations that had to be omitted. See three pages from an example report.
Calk is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
