Comparison of a short version of the Food Frequency Questionnaire with its long version - a cross-sectional analysis in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is the preferred instrument for obtaining dietary information in epidemiological studies. A short form of the FFQ was compared with the original version that was used in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), and also with three 24-hour dietary recalls. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study carried out in six Brazilian state capitals. METHODS: Multiple linear regression was used to reduce the original food and drink list of the FFQ, which had contained 114 food items. The frequency of consumption and nutritional composition of the foods were also taken into consideration. To assess the validity of the shortened FFQ, the energy and nutrients values of the 24-hour dietary recalls were deattenuated and log-transformed. RESULTS: The list of the FFQ of ELSA-Brasil was reduced to 76 food items. The intraclass correlation coefficients in the validation study ranged from 0.17 (selenium) to 0.66 (calcium). CONCLUSIONS: The number of items was reduced by 33%, while still maintaining relatively good capacity to measure energy and selected nutrients.

Download Full-text

Development, validity and reproducibility of a dish-based semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in Iran

Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.3233/mnm-210014 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Samaneh Sadat Ayoubi ◽

Mohsen Nematy ◽

Maryam Amini ◽

Habibollah Esmaily ◽

Sara Movahed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Adult Population ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Alpha Tocopherol ◽

Food Record ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Food Items ◽

Urinary Potassium

BACKGROUND: The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is the method of choice for dietary assessment in epidemiological studies. FFQs focusing on mixed-dishes and simple food items are useful where mixed-dishes are an essential part of food consumption. OBJECTIVE: Regarding the fact that the nature of the Iranian diet is mixed-dish, the present study aimed to design and assess the validity and reproducibility of a dish-based semi-quantitative FFQ in the Iranian adult population. METHODS: A list of 302 food items was collected from four geographical areas around Iran. The validation study was conducted on 97 healthy adults. The FFQ was introduced at the beginning of the study and 10 months after; two three-day food records were collected during the study. Also, biomarkers including 24-hour urinary potassium and nitrogen, serum retinol, and alpha-tocopherol were measured. RESULTS: A 142-food-item FFQ was concluded. The correlation coefficient between the second FFQ and the second three-day food record ranged from 0.225 to 0.323 for macronutrients and 0.128 to 0.476 for micronutrients. The percentile agreements (same or adjacent quartile) between the two methods were more than 60%for all nutrients. The intraclass correlation coefficient between FFQs (except for vitamin E) ranged from 0.363 to 0.578. The correlation coefficient between the second FFQ and the second biomarker assessment was 0.241 for protein.

Download Full-text

Validation of a food-frequency questionnaire for cohort studies in rural Japan

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1079/phn2002411 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 147-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 103

Author(s):

Keiko Ogawa ◽

Yoshitaka Tsubono ◽

Yoshikazu Nishino ◽

Yoko Watanabe ◽

Takayoshi Ohkubo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Studies ◽

Total Energy ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Food Groups ◽

Daily Consumption ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Food Items ◽

Miyagi Prefecture

AbstractObjectives:To examine the validity and reproducibility of a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used for two cohort studies in Japan.Design:Cross-sectional study.Setting:Two rural towns in the Miyagi Prefecture, in north-eastern Japan.Subjects:Fifty-five men and 58 women.Results:A 40-item FFQ was administered twice, 1 year apart. In the mean time, four 3-day diet records (DRs) were collected in four seasons within the year. We calculated daily consumption of total energy and 15 nutrients, 40 food items and nine food groups from the FFQs and the DRs. We computed Spearman correlation coefficients between the FFQs and the DRs. With adjustment for age, total energy and deattenuation for measurement error with the DRs, the correlation coefficients for nutrient intakes ranged from 0.25 to 0.58 in men and from 0.30 to 0.69 in women, with median of 0.43 and 0.43, respectively. Median (range) of the correlation coefficients was 0.35 (−0.30 to 0.72) in men and 0.34 (−0.06 to 0.75) in women for food items and 0.60 (−0.10 to 0.76) and 0.51 (0.28–0.70) for food groups, respectively. Median (range) of the correlation coefficients for the two FFQs administered 1 year apart was 0.49 (0.31–0.71) in men and 0.50 (0.40–0.64) in women for nutrients, 0.43 (0.14–0.76) and 0.45 (0.06–0.74) respectively for food items, and 0.50 (0.30–0.70) and 0.57 (0.39–0.66) respectively for food groups. Relatively higher agreement percentages for intakes of nutrients and food groups with high validity were obtained together with lower complete disagreement percentages.Conclusions:The FFQ has a high reproducibility and a reasonably good validity, and is useful in assessing the usual intakes of nutrients, foods and food groups among a rural Japanese population.

Download Full-text

Sodium and potassium intake estimated using two methods in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

Sao Paulo Medical Journal ◽

10.1590/1516-3180.2015.01233108 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 133 (6) ◽

pp. 510-516 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Taísa Sabrina Silva Pereira ◽

Isabela Judith Martins Benseñor ◽

Jorge Gustavo Velásquez Meléndez ◽

Carolina Perim de Faria ◽

Nágela Valadão Cade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Urinary Excretion ◽

Weighted Kappa ◽

Food Sources ◽

Adult Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Significance Level ◽

Potassium Intake ◽

Sodium And Potassium

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Sodium and potassium intake from different food sources is an important issue regarding cardiovascular physiology. Epidemiological assessment of the intake of these electrolytes intake is done through food frequency questionnaires or urinary excretion measurements. Our aim was to compare these methods using a sample of Brazilian civil servants. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional baseline evaluation from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health. METHODS: Sodium and potassium intake was obtained using two methods: a semi-quantitative questionnaire including 114 food items; and overnight 12-hour urinary excretion measurement. Sodium and potassium estimates obtained through the questionnaire were adjusted for energy intake using the residual method. Urinary excretion measurements were considered valid if they met three adequacy criteria: collection time, volume and total creatinine excretion. Mean nutrients were estimated, and Spearman correlations were calculated. Sodium and potassium intake was categorized into quintiles, and weighted kappa coefficients and percentage agreement were calculated. The significance level for all tests was 0.05. RESULTS: Data from 15,105 participants were analyzed, and significant differences between mean intakes of sodium (questionnaire: 4.5 ± 1.7 g; urine: 4.2 ± 2.1 g) and potassium (questionnaire: 4.7 ± 1.8 g; urine: 2.4 ± 1 g) were found. Weak agreement was found for sodium (K = 0.18) and potassium (K = 0.16). The percentage disagreement between methods ranged from 41.8 to 44.5%, while exact concordance ranged from 22.1% to 23.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The agreement between the food frequency questionnaire and urinary excretion measurements for assessment of sodium and potassium intakes was modest.

Download Full-text

Faktor Gizi dan Prestasi Belajar Siswa Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan

Ghidza Jurnal Gizi dan Kesehatan ◽

10.22487/ghidza.v4i1.57 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 69-78

Author(s):

Nurlaili Handayani ◽

Muhammad Dawam Jamil ◽

Ika Ratna Palupi

Keyword(s):

Vitamin C ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Frequency

Faktor gizi merupakan salah satu faktor yang memengaruhi kemampuan belajar anak, termasuk pada siswa Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan (SMK) yang berada pada usia remaja dan disiapkan sebagai tenaga terampil sesuai bidang keahliannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis hubungan faktor gizi yang meliputi asupan energi dan zat gizi (karbohidrat, protein, lemak, zat besi, vitamin C, dan zink), kebiasaan sarapan, dan status gizi dengan prestasi belajar pada siswa SMK di Sleman, DIY. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian observasional cross sectional pada 100 siswa kejuruan dengan jurusan bidang teknik kendaraan ringan yang berasal dari SMKN 2 Depok, SMKN 1 Seyegan dan SMK Muhammadiyah Prambanan. Pengumpulan data menggunakan kuesioner karakteristik individu dan semi kuantitatif Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ). Status gizi ditentukan dengan indikator IMT/U dan prestasi belajar diukur dari nilai ujian praktik mata pelajaran kejuruan. Analisis data menggunakan uji chi-square. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan subjek memiliki asupan energi defisit (68%), protein defisit (40%), lemak defisit (57%), karbohidrat defisit (65%), vitamin C defisit (27%), zat besi defisit (59%), zink defisit (93%), status gizi normal (67%), dan kebiasaan sarapan jarang (35%). Tidak terdapat hubungan antara tingkat asupan energi dan zat gizi serta status gizi dengan prestasi belajar (p>0,05) tetapi ada hubungan signifikan antara kebiasaan sarapan (p=0,010) serta pekerjaan ayah dan ibu (p=0,030 dan p=0,031) dengan prestasi belajar. Disimpulkan bahwa kebiasaan sarapan merupakan faktor gizi yang berhubungan dengan prestasi belajar siswa SMK.

Download Full-text

Development and Relative Validity of a Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire to Estimate Dietary Intake among a Multi-Ethnic Population in the Malaysian Cohort Project

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13041163 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1163

Author(s):

Suzana Shahar ◽

Mohd Razif Shahril ◽

Noraidatulakma Abdullah ◽

Boekhtiar Borhanuddin ◽

Mohd Arman Kamaruddin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin C ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Weighted Kappa ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Relative Validity ◽

Spearman’S Correlation

Measuring dietary intakes in a multi-ethnic and multicultural setting, such as Malaysia, remains a challenge due to its diversity. This study aims to develop and evaluate the relative validity of an interviewer-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in assessing the habitual dietary exposure of The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) participants. We developed a nutrient database (with 203 items) based on various food consumption tables, and 803 participants were involved in this study. The output of the FFQ was then validated against three-day 24-h dietary recalls (n = 64). We assessed the relative validity and its agreement using various methods, such as Spearman’s correlation, weighed Kappa, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland–Altman analysis. Spearman’s correlation coefficient ranged from 0.24 (vitamin C) to 0.46 (carbohydrate), and almost all nutrients had correlation coefficients above 0.3, except for vitamin C and sodium. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from −0.01 (calcium) to 0.59 (carbohydrates), and weighted Kappa exceeded 0.4 for 50% of nutrients. In short, TMC’s FFQ appears to have good relative validity for the assessment of nutrient intake among its participants, as compared to the three-day 24-h dietary recalls. However, estimates for iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C should be interpreted with caution.

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

Validation of an interviewer-administered seven-day semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for the dietary assessment of preschool children in rural Bangladesh

Journal of Nutritional Science ◽

10.1017/jns.2021.19 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Author(s):

Sabuktagin Rahman ◽

Patricia Lee ◽

Santhia Ireen ◽

Moudud ur-Rahman Khan ◽

Faruk Ahmed

Keyword(s):

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

Dietary Assessment ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Preschool Age ◽

Food Groups ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Preschool Age Children ◽

Absolute Agreement

Abstract A validation study of an interviewer-administered, seven-day semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (7-d SQFFQ) was conducted in Bangladeshi rural preschool age children. Using a cross-sectional study design, 105 children from 103 households were randomly selected. For the SQFFQ, a list of commonly consumed foods was adapted from the Bangladesh national micronutrient survey 2011–12. The data on the actual number of times and the amount of the children's consumption of the foods in the preceding 1 week were collected by interviewing the mothers. The intake was compared with two non-consecutive days 24-h dietary recalls conducted within 2 weeks after the SQFFQ. Validity was assessed by the standard statistical tests. After adjusting for the energy intake and de-attenuation for within-subject variation, the food groups (cereals, animal source foods, milk and the processed foods) had ‘good’ correlations between the methods (rho 0⋅65–0⋅93; P < 0⋅001). Similarly, the macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fats) had ‘good’ correlations (rho 0⋅50–0⋅75; P < 0⋅001) and the key micronutrients (iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, etc.) demonstrated ‘good’ correlations (rho 0⋅46–0⋅85; P < 0⋅001). The variation in classifying the two extreme quintiles by the SQFFQ and the 24-h recalls was <10 %. The results from Lin's concordance coefficients showed a ‘moderate’ to ‘excellent’ absolute agreement between the two methods for food groups, and nutrients (0⋅21–0⋅90; P < 0⋅001). This interviewer-administered, 7-d SQFFQ with an open-ended intake frequency demonstrated adequate validity to assess the dietary intake for most nutrients and suitable for dietary assessments of young children in Bangladesh.

Download Full-text

Evaluating the Association Between Artificial Sweetener Intake and Indicators of Stress and Anxiety

International Quarterly of Community Health Education ◽

10.1177/0272684x211022150 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0272684X2110221

Author(s):

Benjamin Miller ◽

Paul Branscum

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Online Survey ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Anxiety Reduction ◽

Artificial Sweetener ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Very High

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) consumption and stress and anxiety, among a sample of college students. Two-hundred and twenty-seven students from a large mid-western university participated in this cross-sectional study. Students completed an online survey that evaluated NNS using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Stress and anxiety were evaluated using previously validated instruments. Most students reported very low/low/average concern for stress (63.9%), and had low/moderate anxiety (82.3%). Participants experiencing high and very high levels of stress had significantly higher NNS consumption compared to those with a very low and low risk, and concern for stress ( p < .046; d = 0.28). There was no difference however for NNS intake and anxiety. Reduction of artificial sweetener intake may be associated with stress levels among college students. However, more research is needed to examine any causal relationship between artificial sweetener intake and stress.

Download Full-text