Relative Validity and Reproducibility of a Short Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Nutrient Intakes of New Zealand Adults

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.

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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.

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Relative validity of a food-frequency questionnaire developed to assess food intake of schoolchildren living in the Brazilian Western Amazon

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0102-311x2011001100013 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 27 (11) ◽

pp. 2197-2206 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Fernanda Baeza Scagliusi ◽

Mariana Tarricone Garcia ◽

Ana Luiza Coutinho Indiani ◽

Marly Augusto Cardoso

Keyword(s):

Food Intake ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Relative Validity ◽

Vitamins A And C ◽

The Mean ◽

Almost All ◽

Good Agreement

This study aimed to assess the relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) developed to assess food intake of schoolchildren from the Brazilian Western Amazon. The dietary intakes of 61 schoolchildren, aged between six and nine 9 years, were measured using two 24-hour dietary recalls and one FFQ, conducted with the children's, mother or guardians. Validity of the FFQ compared to the mean of the two dietary recalls was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient adjusted for attenuation and energy intake, Bland & Altman plots and evaluation of agreement levels between the two assessment methods. Energy-adjusted and deattenuated correlation coefficients ranged from -0.03 for vitamin C, to 0.93 for calcium. The mean coefficient was 0.46. The mean proportion of subjects classified within one quintile by the two methods was 66%. The Bland & Altman plots indicated good agreement for almost all nutrients, with a mean limit of agreement of 108%. These results indicate that, although there was a lack of accuracy for certain nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, the FFQ ensures reliable estimates of intake of most nutrients.

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

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1079/phn2001181 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 1267-1277 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Liv E Torheim ◽

Ingrid Barikmo ◽

Anne Hatløy ◽

Moro Diakité ◽

Kari Solvoll ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Intake ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Food Groups ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Diet Records ◽

Median Correlation ◽

Study Population ◽

Diet Record

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.

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Comparison of an Australian food-frequency questionnaire with diet records: implications for nutrition surveillance

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1079/phn2002434 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 415-422 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

GL Ambrosini ◽

D Mackerras ◽

NH de Klerk ◽

AW Musk

Keyword(s):

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Randomised Trial ◽

South Australia ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Limits Of Agreement ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Individual Level ◽

Diet Records

AbstractObjectives:To compare a widely used Australian food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with diet records and consider the results in relation to its use in nutrition surveillance.Design:Inter-method reliability study.Setting:A randomised trial in subjects with past asbestos exposure.Subjects:Seventy-two adults living in Western Australia.Methods:A semi-quantitative FFQ developed by the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation in South Australia was administered after the completion of four 7-day diet records (DRs).Results:Mean agreement between methods was not significantly different from 100% for many nutrients, but the limits of agreement indicated that, at the individual level, the FFQ over- or underestimated the DR by at least 50%. Mean agreement between methods decreased significantly with increasing intakes for the majority of nutrients. Pearson's correlation coefficients were less informative indicators of agreement compared with the limits of agreement.Conclusions:These results indicate poor agreement between the FFQ and DR when estimating absolute intakes. Therefore, comparing intakes collected using this FFQ with specific cut-off points such as Recommended Dietary Intakes for nutrition surveillance may lead to seriously flawed conclusions about population intakes.

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Reproducibility and relative validity of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for the Chinese lactating mothers

Nutrition Journal ◽

10.1186/s12937-021-00678-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ye Ding ◽

Fang Li ◽

Ping Hu ◽

Mei Ye ◽

Fangping Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Dietary Assessment ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Assessment Method ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Relative Validity ◽

Lactating Mothers ◽

Dietary Record ◽

Spearman’S Correlation

Abstract Background The dietary nutritional status of the lactating mothers is related to maternal health and has a significant impact on the growth and development of infants through the secretion of breast milk. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is the most cost-effective dietary assessment method that can help obtain information on the usual dietary pattern of participants. Until now, the FFQs have been used for different populations in China, but there are few FFQs available for the lactating mothers. We aimed to develop a semi-quantitative, 156-item FFQ for the Chinese lactating mothers, and evaluate its reproducibility and relative validity. Methods A total of 112 lactating mothers completed two FFQs and one 3-d dietary record (3DR). The first FFQ (FFQ1) was conducted during postpartum at 60–65 days and the second FFQ (FFQ2) during subsequent follow-up at 5 weeks. The 3DR was completed with portion sizes assessed using photographs taken by the respondent before and after eating (instant photography) 1 week after FFQ1. Results For reproducibility, the Spearman’s correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.34 to 0.68, and for nutrients from 0.25 to 0.61. Meanwhile, the intra-class correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.48 to 0.87, and for nutrients from 0.27 to 0.70. For relative validity, the Spearman’s correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.32 to 0.56, and for nutrients from 0.23 to 0.72. The energy-adjusted coefficients for food ranged from 0.26 to 0.55, and for nutrients from 0.22 to 0.47. Moreover, the de-attenuation coefficients for food ranged from 0.34 to 0.67, and for nutrients from 0.28 to 0.77. The Bland-Altman plots also showed reasonably acceptable agreement between the two methods. Conclusions This FFQ is a reasonably reproducible and a relative valid tool for assessing dietary intake of the Chinese lactating mothers.

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Relative Validity and Reproducibility of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Identifying the Dietary Patterns of Toddlers in New Zealand

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2014.09.016 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 115 (4) ◽

pp. 551-558 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Virginia C. Mills ◽

Paula M.L. Skidmore ◽

Emily O. Watson ◽

Rachael W. Taylor ◽

Elizabeth A. Fleming ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Relative Validity

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Relative Validity and Reproducibility of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Assessing Dietary Patterns and Food Group Intake in Older New Zealand Adults: The Researching Eating, Activity, and Cognitive Health Study

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2021.05.022 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Karen D. Mumme ◽

Cathryn A. Conlon ◽

Pamela R. von Hurst ◽

Beatrix Jones ◽

Jamie de Seymour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Food Group ◽

Health Study ◽

Cognitive Health ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Relative Validity

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Meal-based intake assessment tool: relative validity when determining dietary intake of Fe and Zn and selected absorption modifiers in UK men

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1079/bjn20041324 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 93 (3) ◽

pp. 403-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Anne-Louise M. Heath ◽

Mark A. Roe ◽

Sarah L. Oyston ◽

Susan J. Fairweather-Tait

Keyword(s):

Vitamin C ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Dietary Assessment ◽

Black Tea ◽

Molar Ratio ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Relative Validity ◽

Intake Assessment ◽

Diet Records ◽

Diet Record

A computer-based dietary assessment tool, the meal-based intake assessment tool (MBIAT), is described. In the current study, dietary intakes of Fe and Zn fractions (total Fe, non-haem Fe, haem Fe, meat Fe, total Zn) and dietary components that influence Fe and Zn absorption (vitamin C, phytate, Ca, grams of meat/fish/poultry, black tea equivalents, phytate:Zn molar ratio) were assessed. The relative validity of the MBIAT was determined in forty-eight UK men aged 40 years and over by comparing its results with those from weighed diet records collected over 12 d. There was good agreement between the MBIAT and the weighed diet records for median intakes of total, non-haem, haem and meat Fe, Zn, vitamin C, phytate, grams of meat/fish/poultry and phytate:Zn molar ratio. Correlations between the two methods ranged from 0·32 (for Ca) to 0·80 (for haem Fe), with 0·76 for total Fe and 0·75 for Zn. The percentage of participants classified by the MBIAT into the same/opposite weighed diet record quartiles ranged from 56/0 for Fe and 60/0 for Zn to 33/10 for Ca. The questionnaire also showed an acceptable level of agreement between repeat administrations (e.g. a correlation for total Fe of 0·74). In conclusion, the MBIAT is appropriate for assessing group dietary intakes of total Fe and Zn and their absorption modifiers in UK men aged 40 years and over.

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