Validation of the second version of a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire for use in Western Mali

AbstractObjective:To assess the relative validity of the second version of a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (QFFQ), designed to measure the habitual food and nutrient intake in one season in rural populations in Western Mali, West Africa.Design:The dietary intake during the previous week was assessed with the 164-item QFFQ administered by interview. This was compared with the intake from a 2-day weighed record (WR) with weighed recipes.Setting:The village of Ouassala in the Kayes region, Western Mali.Subjects:Thirty-four women and 36 men aged 15–45 years, from 29 households.Results:The QFFQ gave a lower intake of lunch and dinner and a higher intake of snacks than the WR. The discrepancies were larger for women than for men. The median proportion of subjects classified in the same quartile of intake was 29% for food groups and 36% for energy and nutrients. For classification into extreme opposite quartiles, the median proportion was 6% for food groups and 7% for energy and nutrients. Spearman's rank correlation for energy and nutrients ranged from 0.16 (% energy from protein) to 0.62 (retinol equivalents).Conclusions:The second version of the QFFQ tends to underestimate total food weight. The methods used for estimating food portion size should therefore be applied with caution. The changes made from the first version had little effect. The ability to rank subjects according to dietary intake is similar with both versions. The improved layout of the new QFFQ makes it a more user-friendly tool for comparing dietary intake between population groups and for measuring changes over time.

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Comparison of diet measures from a food-frequency questionnaire with measures from repeated 24-hour dietary recalls. The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980007702872 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1094-1103 ◽

Cited By ~ 82

Author(s):

Anette Hjartåker ◽

Lene Frost Andersen ◽

Eiliv Lund

Keyword(s):

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Calibration Coefficient ◽

Food Groups ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Cancer Study ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation Coefficient ◽

Good For

AbstractObjectiveTo compare diet measures from a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with measures from 24-hour dietary recalls (24HDRs).DesignThe participants answered an FFQ after completing four, repeated 24HDRs during a year.SettingNorway, nationwide.SubjectsOf 500 women randomly selected from The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study (the Norwegian arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), 286 agreed to participate and 238 completed the study.ResultsOn the group level, the FFQ overestimated absolute intake in seven and underestimated intake in six of 21 food groups. Intakes of energy, fat, added sugar and alcohol were lower in the FFQ than in the 24HDRs, whereas intake of fibre was higher. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient ranged from 0.13 (desserts) to 0.82 (coffee) for foods, and from 0.25 (β-carotene) to 0.67 (alcohol) for nutrients. Three per cent of the observations on nutrient intake fell in the opposite quintile when classified according to the FFQ as compared with the 24HDR. The median calibration coefficient, calculated by regression of the 24HDR data on the FFQ data, was 0.57 for foods and 0.38 for nutrients.ConclusionsThe FFQ's ability to rank subjects was good for foods eaten frequently and fairly good for macronutrients in terms of energy percentages. Weaker ranking abilities were seen for foods eaten infrequently and for some micronutrients. The results underline the necessity of performing measurement error corrections.

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Reproducibility and validity of food group intake in a short food frequency questionnaire for the middle-aged Japanese population

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12199-021-00951-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Nahomi Imaeda ◽

Chiho Goto ◽

Tae Sasakabe ◽

Haruo Mikami ◽

Isao Oze ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Food Group ◽

Food Groups ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Dietary Records ◽

Z Scores

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility and validity of a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for food group intake in Japan, the reproducibility and partial validity of which were previously confirmed for nutrients. Methods A total of 288 middle-aged healthy volunteers from 11 different areas of Japan provided nonconsecutive 3-day weighed dietary records (DRs) at 3-month intervals over four seasons. We evaluated reproducibility based on the first (FFQ1) and second (FFQ2) questionnaires and their validity against the DRs by comparing the intake of 20 food groups. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients (SRs) were calculated between energy-adjusted intake from the FFQs and that from the DRs. Results The intake of 20 food groups estimated from the two FFQs was mostly equivalent. The median energy-adjusted SRs between the FFQ1 and FFQ2 were 0.61 (range 0.38–0.86) for men and 0.66 (0.45–0.84) for women. For validity, the median de-attenuated SRs between DRs and the FFQ1 were 0.51 (0.17–0.76) for men and 0.47 (0.23–0.77) for women. Compared with the DRs, the proportion of cross-classification into exact plus adjacent quintiles with the FFQ1 ranged from 58 to 86% in men and from 57 to 86% in women. According to the robust Z scores and the Bland–Altman plot graphs, the underestimation errors in the FFQ1 tended to be greater in individuals with high mean levels of consumption for meat for men and for other vegetables for both men and women. Conclusion The FFQ demonstrated high reproducibility and reasonable validity for food group intake. This questionnaire is short and remains appropriate for identifying associations between diet and health/disease among adults in Japan.

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Development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire for Japanese athletes (FFQJA)

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s12970-021-00433-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kazuko Ishikawa-Takata ◽

Kaori Okamoto ◽

Motoko Taguchi

Keyword(s):

Dietary Intake ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Kappa Statistic ◽

Portion Size ◽

Vitamin B ◽

Kappa Index ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Supplement Use ◽

Food Items ◽

Dietary Records

Abstract Background Food frequency questionnaires are considered an effective method for assessing habitual dietary intake, but they must be developed or validated with the target population. Portion size, supplement use and food choice are thought to be especially important methodological considerations for assessing athletes’ dietary intake. This study aimed to develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire for Japanese athletes using data from this population. Methods We used dietary records from 440 Japanese athletes involved in our previous projects. Food items were analyzed using cumulative percentage contributions and multiple regression analysis, to give a selection of 62 basic food items and four supplemental items. The validity of the questionnaire was evaluated among another 77 Japanese athletes by comparing nutrient intakes assessed using the questionnaire with dietary records. Reproducibility was evaluated by comparing a second questionnaire completed 2–3 weeks later by 36 of the athletes in the validation study. Validity was assessed using crude Spearman’s correlation coefficients (CCs), energy-adjusted CCs, intraclass CCs (ICCs), and Kappa index values. Reproducibility was assessed by CCs, energy-adjusted CCs, and ICCs. Results In the validation analysis, the median crude CC for all of the nutrients was 0.407, ranging from 0.222 for dietary fiber to 0.550 for carbohydrate. The median energy-adjusted CC was 0.478, and the median ICC was 0.369. When we divided the athletes into quartiles, 65% (vitamin B1) to 86% (iron) of athletes were classified into the same or adjacent categories using the questionnaire and dietary records, with a median Kappa statistic of 0.32. In the reproducibility analysis, the median crude CC between the two completed questionnaires was 0.654, ranging from 0.582 (carbohydrate) to 0.743 (vitamin B2). The median energy-adjusted CC was 0.643, and the median ICC was 0.647. Conclusions The new 62-item food frequency questionnaire is both reliable and valid and may be useful for assessing food intake in Japanese athletes.

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Development of a dedicated repertoire and food frequency questionnaire for estimating dietary fiber intake taking into account prebiotic (oligo)saccharides

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120003705 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Audrey M. Neyrinck ◽

Julie-Anne Nazare ◽

Monique Sothier ◽

Laurie Vandenberghe ◽

Camille Amadieu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Dietary Fiber ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Portion Size ◽

Published Data ◽

Food Groups ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Cereal Products ◽

Food Composition Tables

AbstractRationaleThe scientific rationale for the recommendation in dietary fiber (DF) intake comes from the recognition of their health benefits. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommend 25 g/d, based on the amount needed for intestinal laxation. Gut microbiota related health benefits are not yet included in the current dietary recommendations. Appropriate (and consensual) quantitative and qualitative analysis of DF are missing in food composition tables. One of the aim of the FiberTAG(1) project was to develop a dedicated database and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) allowing DF intake estimation including prebiotic (oligo)saccharides.MethodsA repertoire of DF detailing total, soluble and insoluble DF in food products consumed in Europe has been established based on the Souci-Fachmann-Kraut database, completed for soluble versus insoluble DF () and for prebiotic (oligo)saccharide levels using published data. The FiberTAG FFQ was submitted to healthy volunteers (7 men, 8 women; mean age: 21 yrs; mean BMI: 22kg/m2) and DF intakes were calculated using the new FiberTAG repertoire.ResultsThe FiberTAG repertoire detailed DF in 400 food items allocated into 4 categories (fruits, vegetables, cereal products and others) and 15 subcategories. The fiberTAG FFQ consists in 280 items regrouped in 4 high DF-containing food groups (vegetables including legumes, fruits including nuts and seed, cereal products and others) using frequency scale (6 categories), photographs for portion size and taking into account the seasonal occurrence for some vegetables or fruits. Data obtained from FiberTAG FFQ indicate a total DF intake of 36.44 g/d. This reveals a higher DF intake compared to previously reported intake for adults in Europe ranging from 16 to 24 g/d based on 24 h-recall or 3–7 days records(2). This difference might be explained by a more adequate inclusion of fruits and vegetables intake in FFQ than with other methods, as previously reported(3). Our data also showed that fructan, inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides intakes were 4.18, 2.95 and 1.00 g/day, respectively whereas galacto-oligosaccharides intake was 0.28 g/d.ConclusionThe new FiberTAG DF repertoire and FFQ are tools to evaluate the total amount of DF including prebiotic (oligo)saccharides ingested by healthy volunteers. The FiberTAG project generates scientific knowledge that helps to take into account microbiota-nutrient interactions to establish DF intake recommendations as part of healthy lifestyles.

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Separate estimates of portion size were not essential for energy and nutrient estimation: results from the Southern Community Cohort food-frequency questionnaire pilot study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980007258574 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 245-251 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

David G Schlundt ◽

Maciej S Buchowski ◽

Margaret K Hargreaves ◽

Jean H Hankin ◽

Lisa B Signorello ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Portion Size ◽

Food Groups ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Prospective Epidemiological Study ◽

Daily Intakes ◽

Pearson Correlations ◽

Size Estimates

AbstractObjectiveA food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed to assess habitual dietary intake in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), a prospective epidemiological study to analyse disparities in cancer and other chronic diseases between African-Americans and Whites.DesignFrequency and portion size estimates were obtained for each of 104 foods. Daily intakes of 13 food groups, energy and 18 nutrients were computed. Each participant's rank and quintile classification of nutrient intakes was determined with and without the use of the subject's reported portion size.SubjectsThe sample was obtained from the SCCS pilot study conducted in Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida, and consisted of 209 adults, 54% African-American, with a mean (standard deviation) age of 57.1 (12.5) years.ResultsCorrelations between the ranks from the two methods of estimation were high, ranging from 0.66 to 0.94 for food groups and 0.81 to 0.94 for nutrients. Pearson correlations were similarly high for food groups and nutrients. Concordance in exact quintile rank across the nutrient indices ranged from 52 to 70%, rising to 90–99% for concordance within adjacent quintiles.ConclusionsTo reduce the respondents' burden and to increase data completeness, the assignment of a uniform portion size when scoring the SCCS FFQ was considered acceptable.

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Reproducibility and relative validity of a newly developed web-based food-frequency questionnaire for assessment of preconception diet

BMC Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s40795-019-0310-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

L. Salvesen ◽

E. R. Hillesund ◽

F. N. Vik ◽

A. L. Brantsæter ◽

N. C. Øverby

Keyword(s):

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Food Groups ◽

Cohen’S Kappa ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Relative Validity ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Cohen's Kappa ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation Coefficient ◽

Median Correlation

Abstract Background The importance of diet and nutrition during preconception age is a window of opportunity to promote future parental and transgenerational health. As a sub-study to a large Norwegian study, ‘Diet today – health of tomorrow’, a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed to assess diet during the preconception phase in young adults aged 20 – 30 years and in this paper we report the reproducibility and relative validity of this questionnaire. Methods The FFQ was developed from an existing FFQ validated in adolescents. Participants were recruited on social media and at a university. Reproducibility was assessed by comparing the test and retest of the FFQ. Relative validity was assessed by comparing intake measured by the FFQ with a 7-day weighed food record. Energy, nutrients and food intake were used to assess the reproducibility and relative validity of the FFQ. The study applied the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, percentage of agreement and Cohen’s Kappa to assess reproducibility and validity. Results There were 32 participants recruited to the study, of which 21 participants completed both the test-retest reproducibility and the relative validation. The test-retest reproducibility had a median correlation coefficient of 0.85 for energy and nutrients, a median Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of 0.75 and a median Cohen’s Kappa of 0.51 for food groups. The relative validity of the FFQ had a median correlation coefficient of 0.59 for energy and nutrients, a median Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of 0.54 and a median Cohen’s Kappa of 0.28 for food groups. Conclusion This newly developed FFQ for preconception diet in young adults had a satisfactory test-retest reproducibility and fair relative validity.

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Development and simulated validation of a food-frequency questionnaire for the Colombian population

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1079/phn2004672 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 181-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Leonelo E Bautista ◽

Oscar F Herrán ◽

Jane A Pryer

Keyword(s):

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽

Vitamin B ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Average Intake ◽

Total Fat ◽

Using Data

AbstractObjectiveTo develop a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) useful for ranking of nutrient intakes.DesignSubjects consuming their regular diet completed 7 days of weighed intake registry (7-WIR). Foods for the FFQ were selected by stepwise multiple regression. The FFQ was then completed for each subject using data on individual food consumption from the 7-WIR. The correlation and agreement between the extrapolated FFQ and the 7-WIR data were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (rS) and Bland and Altman's limits of agreement (LOA).SettingBucaramanga, Colombia.SubjectsWe studied 97 randomly selected 20–40-year-old subjects.ResultsSixty foods were selected for the FFQ. The 7-WIR and the extrapolated FFQ intake estimates correlated well. rS was 0.58 for energy, 0.53 for carbohydrate, 0.50 for total fat, and 0.48 for protein. For micronutrients, rS varied from 0.46 (manganese) to 0.71 (vitamin B12). FFQ average intake estimates were 83%, 80%, 86.2% and 86.4% of 7-WIR estimates for energy, carbohydrate, total fat and protein, respectively. LOA for these nutrients ranged between 45% and 165%. FFQ micronutrient intakes were on average 96% (median) of those from the 7-WIR, and the median lower and upper LOA were 50% and 203%. However, there was no indication that the degree of agreement varied with the level of intake.ConclusionsAccording to our simulated validation, this FFQ may be useful to rank subjects by nutrient intake. Its validity against standard independent measurements and its applicability to other subsets of the Colombian population should be carefully considered.

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Dietary Intake in the Lifelines Cohort Study: Baseline Results from the Flower Food Frequency Questionnaire among 59,982 Participants

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu14010048 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 48

Author(s):

A. Mireille Baart ◽

Elske M. Brouwer-Brolsma ◽

Corine W. M. Perenboom ◽

Jeanne H. M. de Vries ◽

Edith J. M. Feskens

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Macronutrient Intake ◽

Food Groups ◽

Food Frequency ◽

General Dutch Population ◽

Study Participants

The role of nutrition in health and disease is well established. However, more research on this topic is needed to fill gaps in our current knowledge. The Lifelines cohort study, a large Dutch prospective cohort study, was established as a resource for international researchers, aiming to obtain insight into the aetiology of healthy ageing. The study started with 167,729 participants, covering three generations, aiming to follow them for thirty years. This article describes the habitual dietary intake, assessed using the Flower Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), among Lifelines cohort study participants at baseline, stratified by sex and different categories of age, socioeconomic status (SES) and body mass index (BMI). A total of 59,982 adults (23,703 men and 36,279 women), who completed the Flower FFQ and reported plausible habitual dietary intake, were included in the analyses. Median daily energy intake was higher in men (2368 kcal) than in women (1848 kcal), as well as macronutrient intake. Energy and macronutrient intake decreased with increasing age and BMI categories; no differences were observed between SES categories. Intake of most micronutrients was higher in men than in women. Differences were observed between age categories, but not between SES and BMI categories. Food groups were consumed in different amounts by men and women; differences between age, SES and BMI categories were observed as well. The Lifelines cohort study provides extensive dietary intake data, which are generalisable to the general Dutch population. As such, highly valuable dietary intake data are available to study associations between dietary intake and the development of chronic diseases and healthy aging.

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Reproducibility and feasibility of an online self-administered food frequency questionnaire for use among adult Norwegians

Food & Nutrition Research ◽

10.29219/fnr.v65.7561 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Monica Hauger Carlsen ◽

Lene Frost Andersen ◽

Anette Hjartåker

Keyword(s):

Food Intake ◽

Focus Group ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Average Energy ◽

Portion Size ◽

Food Groups ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Reproducibility Study ◽

Portion Sizes ◽

Study Participants

Background: New methods of dietary assessment are increasingly making use of online technologies. The development of a new online food frequency questionnaire warranted investigation of its feasibility and the reproducibility of its results. Objective: To investigate the feasibility and reproducibility of a newly developed online FFQ (WebFFQ). Design: The semiquantitative WebFFQ was designed to assess the habitual diet the previous year, with questions about frequency of intake and portion sizes. Estimations of portion sizes include both pictures and household measures, depending on the type of food in question. In two independent cross-sectional studies conducted in 2015 and 2016, adults were recruited by post following random selection from the general population. In the first study, participants (n = 229) filled in the WebFFQ and answered questions about its feasibility, and in two subsequent focus group meetings, participants (n = 9) discussed and gave feedback about the feasibility of the WebFFQ. In the second study, the WebFFQ’s reproducibility was assessed by asking participants (n = 164) to fill it in on two separate occasions, 12 weeks apart. Moreover, in the second study, participants were offered personal dietary feedback, a monetary gift certificate, or both, as incentives to complete the study. Results: In the feasibility study, evaluation form results showed that participants raised issues regarding the estimation of portion size and the intake of seasonal foods as being particularly challenging; furthermore, in the focus group discussions, personal feedback on diet was perceived to be a more motivating factor than monetary reward. In the reproducibility study, total food intake was lower in the second WebFFQ; however, 63% of the food groups were not significantly different from those in the first WebFFQ. Correlations of food intake ranged from 0.62 to 0.90, >86% of the participants were classified into the same or adjacent quartiles, and misclassification ranged from 0 to 3%. Average energy intake was 3.5% lower (p = 0.001), fiber showed the least difference at 1.6% (p = 0.007), and sugar intake differed the most at −6.8% (borderline significant, p = 0.08). Percentage energy obtained from macronutrients did not differ significantly between the first and second WebFFQs. Conclusion: Our results suggest that at group level, the WebFFQ showed good reproducibility for the estimations of intake of food groups, energy, and nutrients. The feasibility of the WebFFQ is good; however, revisions to further improve portion size estimations should be included in future versions. The WebFFQ is considered suitable for dietary assessments for healthy adults in the Norwegian population.

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Development of a repertoire and a food frequency questionnaire for estimating dietary fiber intake considering prebiotics: input from the FiberTAG project

10.21203/rs.3.rs-31912/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Audrey M Neyrinck ◽

Julie-Anne Nazare ◽

Julie Rodriguez ◽

Romain Jottard ◽

Sarah Dib ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dietary Fiber ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Portion Size ◽

Published Data ◽

Food Groups ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Cereal Products ◽

Dietary Fiber Intake ◽

Size Evaluation

Abstract BackgroundTo develop a dedicated database and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) allowing detailed dietary fiber (DF) intake estimation including prebiotic (oligo)saccharides.MethodsA repertoire of DF detailing total, soluble DF, insoluble DF and prebiotic (oligo)saccharides (inulin-type fructans, fructo-oligosaccharides and galacto-oligosaccharides) in food products consumed in Europe has been established on basis of the German and Canadian databases and published data. A 12-month FFQ was developed and submitted to 15 healthy volunteers (mean age: 21 yrs; mean BMI: 22 kg/m2) from the FiberTAG study (https://www.fibertag.eu/).ResultsThe FiberTAG repertoire details DF and prebiotic (oligo)saccharides in 283 food items allocated into 4 categories and 15 subcategories. The FiberTAG FFQ consists in 302 items regrouped in 4 high DF-containing food groups (vegetables including legumes, fruits including nuts and seed, cereal products and others), proposes intake frequency scales, photographs for portion size evaluation and considers the seasonal occurrence for vegetables or fruits. Our data in the tested population report a total DF intake of 38 g/d (1/3 of soluble and 2/3 of insoluble DF). Fructan and fructo-oligosaccharides intake, linked notably to condiments (garlic and onions) ingestion, reached 5 and 2 g/d, respectively, galacto-oligosaccharides intake level being lower (1 g/d).ConclusionsThe FiberTAG repertoire and FFQ are major tools for the evaluation of the total amount of DF including prebiotics. Their use can be helpful in intervention or observational studies devoted to analyze microbiota-nutrient interactions in different pathological contexts, as well as to revisit DF intake recommendations as part of healthy lifestyles considering specific DF.Trial registrationNCT03494491(clinicaltrials.gov)

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