Food intake
During the course of the study, the participants were instructed to keep a record of their dietary intake for a period of 3 days on three separate occasions—prior to the intervention, 2 months after the intervention began, and at the conclusion of the study. A software program called Nutritionist IV (developed by First Databank, San Bruno, CA) was used to monitor the participants' daily consumption of energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients. This software had been adapted specifically for Iranian foods and incorporated a "Home Scales Guide."