Validation of a food-frequency questionnaire assessment of methyl-group donors using estimated diet records and plasma biomarkers: the method of triads

2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 768-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Pauwels ◽  
Ine Doperé ◽  
Inge Huybrechts ◽  
Lode Godderis ◽  
Gudrun Koppen ◽  
...  
2001 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1267-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liv E Torheim ◽  
Ingrid Barikmo ◽  
Anne Hatløy ◽  
Moro Diakité ◽  
Kari Solvoll ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective:The purpose of this study was to validate a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) created for assessing the usual intake of foods and nutrients in the prevailing season in Western Mali.Design:Intake of foods and nutrients over the week preceding the interview was measured with a 69-item QFFQ. Intakes were compared with intakes as measured with 2-day combined weighed and recalled diet records.Setting:A rural village in Western Mali, West Africa.Subjects:Twenty-seven men and 48 women (15–59 years of age) representing 18 households.Results:Spearman rank correlations between intake of food groups from the QFFQ and the diet record ranged from 0.09 (meat/fish) to 0.58 (tea/coffee). Median coefficient was 0.37. Median Spearman correlation coefficient for nutrient intake was 0.40. Men had higher median correlation coefficients than did women. The proportion of subjects being classified into the same quartile of food intake was on median 33%, while a median of 7% was misclassified into extreme quartiles. Correct classification into the same quartile for intake of nutrients was on median 34% while a median of 4% was grossly misclassified. Intakes of most food groups and nutrients as measured by the QFFQ were higher than those measured by the diet records. However, while men had higher estimated intakes for foods eaten in-between meals, women in general had higher intake of foods eaten in the main meals.Conclusion:This QFFQ can be used for comparing the intake of foods and nutrients between groups within this study population. It therefore represents a useful tool in the surveillance of food intake in the population, both in identifying vulnerable groups and for tracking food intake over time. The differences between men and women in overestimating food intake need to be taken into account when using the method.


2006 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 802-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Huybrechts ◽  
Dirk De Bacquer ◽  
Christophe Matthys ◽  
Guy De Backer ◽  
Stefaan De Henauw

Relative validity and reproducibility of a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for measuring preschool children's usual Ca intake were assessed using parents or guardians as a proxy. Estimated diet records (EDR; 3d) were used as the reference method and reproducibility was measured by repeated FFQ administrations 5 weeks apart. From 2095 preschool children (2·5–6·5 years) randomly selected in Flanders (Flemish region of Belgium), 1052 returned a FFQ and EDR. Stringent exclusion procedures reduced the sample for validity analyses to 509 children. From a separate sample of 244 preschool children, 124 returned two FFQ, of whom sixty were included in the reproducibility analysis. Mean Ca intakes were 838 (sd 305) and 777 (sd 296) mg/d for EDR and FFQ respectively, indicating a mean difference of 60·9 (sd 294·4) mg/d (p<0·001). Pearson's correlation was 0·52. Cross-classification analysis of the FFQ and EDR classified 83%of the subjects in the same or adjacent category and 2·4% in extreme quartiles. Actual values for surrogate FFQ quartiles showed a progressive increase in Ca intake (p<0·001). The FFQ correctly identified 77% of the children consuming less Ca than the age-specific RDA (800mg/d). Correlation between repeated administrations was 0·79. No significant difference between mean Ca intakes was established by two administrations (23·8 (sd 161·2) mg/d). Cross-classification of repeated administrations classified 93·4% of the subjects in the same or adjacent category and no subjects in extreme categories. This FFQ tended to underestimate preschool children's Ca intake when administered by a proxy. However, it demonstrated good repeatability and fairly good ability to classify subjects into extremes of Ca intake.


2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 135-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuko Tokudome ◽  
Chiho Goto ◽  
Nahomi Imaeda ◽  
Takako Hasegawa ◽  
Rieko Kato ◽  
...  

2001 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
GL Ambrosini ◽  
NH de Klerk ◽  
AW Musk ◽  
D Mackerras

AbstractObjectiveTo compare intra- and inter-method reliability of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed specifically to measure beta carotene (BC) and retinol intake, using two methods – the limits of agreement (LOA) and the correlation coefficient.DesignA cross-sectional study of dietary intake.SettingA randomized trial of vitamin A supplements in 2769 subjects with past asbestos exposure.SubjectsData from 57 men and 26 women, aged 28–72 years, living in Western Australia.MethodsThe FFQ was administered at baseline (FFQ1) and repeated 1 year later (FFQ2). Four 1-week diet records (DRs) were completed during the year.ResultsMean agreement between FFQ2 and FFQ1 was 120% for BC and 98% for retinol. LOA were 47–306% and 21–459%, respectively. Mean agreement between FFQ2 and the DR was 149% for BC and 63% for retinol; LOA were 50–447% and 11–349%, respectively. Mean agreement and LOA varied across energy intakes. Between the DR and FFQ2, correlation coefficients were 0.36 for BC and 0.51 for retinol. These varied considerably across age, gender and energy intakes and were not in accordance with limits of agreement findings.ConclusionAlthough correlation coefficients were positive and significant, there was less than ideal intra-method and inter-method reliability shown by the limits of agreement method. Bias was uneven across the range of intakes, the LOA were wide and, compared with the DR, the FFQ significantly over-estimated BC and under-estimated retinol. This shows the limitations of calculating correlation coefficients alone, for assessing reliability and validity.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Ho Yan Sam ◽  
Paula Skidmore ◽  
Sheila Skeaff ◽  
Sherly Parackal ◽  
Clare Wall ◽  
...  

There is no recent validated short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for use in New Zealand (NZ) adults. This study aimed to evaluate the relative validity and reproducibility of a short FFQ in free-living NZ adults aged 30–59 years. A 57-item, semi-quantitative FFQ was developed and pre-tested. During a 12-month study period the FFQ was administrated twice with a 9-month interval between administrations. Four two-day diet records were collected at months 0, 3, 6, and 9 and a blood sample was taken at month 9. Spearman correlations were used to evaluate the validity of the FFQ with the eight-day diet records and selected biomarkers. Cross-classification analysis and the Bland–Altman method were used to assess the agreement between the FFQ and the diet record. Reproducibility over nine months was assessed using intra-class correlations. A total of 132 males and females completed both FFQs, the eight-day diet record, and provided a blood sample. The highest energy-adjusted correlation coefficients were observed for alcohol (0.81), cholesterol (0.61), and carbohydrate (0.61), with the lowest for sodium (0.29), thiamin (0.33), and niacin equivalents (0.34). More than three quarters of the participants were correctly classified into the same or adjacent quartile for most nutrients, with a low proportion of participants being grossly misclassified (<10%). For most nutrients, the limits of agreement from the Bland–Altman analyses were between 50% and 250%. A positive correlation was observed between dietary intakes and plasma biomarkers for all selected nutrients. The FFQ showed moderate to good reproducibility, with almost all reliability coefficients ranging from 0.60 to 0.80. This short FFQ was shown to validly and reliably rank individuals by their habitual intake of most major nutrients, indicating that the FFQ will offer a time-efficient way to assess the nutrient intake of NZ adults in future research.


1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Horwath

Nutrient intakes estimated using a short self-administered semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were compared with results obtained from five 2 d diet records using household measures in a group of fifty-three elderly people (mean age 70 years) in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1989. Mean intakes for most nutrients were less than 5% different between the two methods. Correlations between the nutrient intake values (excluding supplements) from the diet records and those from the FFQ ranged from 0·34 for Zn in women to more than 0·75 for protein, Zn and Ca in men. For most nutrients, at least 70% of the subjects when classified by the food records fell into the same quintile or into the within-one- quintile category when classified by the FFQ. These data indicate that in elderly subjects a simple self- administered semi-quantitative FFQ can provide very similar information (for both group and individual intakes for many nutrients) to that obtained from 10 d of careful diet recording.


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