Validation and calibration of the Food Consumption Frequency Questionnaire for pregnant women

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Few food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) have been validated for pregnant women, particularly those in small- and medium-sized cities in different regions of Brazil. OBJECTIVES: To validate and calibrate a semiquantitative FFQ for pregnant women. DESIGN AND SETTING: The study was validated with a sample of 50 pregnant women (≥ 18 years) enrolled in Brazilian prenatal services. METHODS: An FFQ and a 24-hour recall were used to evaluate dietary intake. Dietary variables were tested for normality and log-converted when asymmetrical. Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was used to validate the questionnaire. Linear regression was applied to extract calibration factors. All variables underlying the consumption analysis were adjusted for energy. RESULTS: The mean age of the pregnant women was 26 years ± 6.2 years; 58% were in their first trimester, and 30% were identified as overweight/obese. The Pearson correlation analysis results indicated that the FFQ overestimated energy and nutrient intake, whose coefficients ranged from −0.15 (monounsaturated fat) to 0.50 (carbohydrate). Adjusting for energy reduced the mean values of intake coefficients, which now ranged from −0.33 (sodium) to 0.96 (folate). The calibration analysis results indicated variation in the coefficients from −0.23 (sodium) to 1.00 (folate). Calibration produced satisfactory coefficients for the FFQ compared with the reference standard for energy, macronutrients, monounsaturated fat, cholesterol, vitamins B12/C, folate, sodium, iron, and calcium. CONCLUSIONS: After validating and calibrating tests, we observed that the FFQ was adequately accurate for assessing the food consumption of the pregnant women in this study.

Vitamin A knowledge and household consumption frequency of vitamin A – rich foods in Tangail, Bangladesh

@#Introduction: Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most serious health problems in developing countries. This study aims to explore the comparative figure of vitamin A knowledge, household consumption frequency of vitamin A-rich foods, and association of socio-demographic factors with knowledge and consumption in four residential areas in Tangail district, Bangladesh. Methods: This study used a population-based cross-sectional design with 400 study participants selected using purposive sampling technique. Knowledge and consumption frequency were assessed by a structured questionnaire along with food frequency table. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Only 33.5% participants had primary vitamin A knowledge, where most from urban (48.5%) and semi-urban (30.6%) areas had comparatively higher knowledge than those from rural (11.2%) and slum (9.7%) areas. Specific knowledge level was also poorer in rural and slum areas than urban and semi-urban areas. Most of the participants received knowledge through commercial advertisements (65.7%). Household consumption frequency of vitamin A-rich foods (plant and animal) was comparatively lower in rural and slum areas than in urban and semi-urban areas. Different socio-demographic factors (place of residence, education and household income) significantly influenced participant’s vitamin A knowledge and household consumption of vitamin A-rich foods (p<0.05). Conclusion: In general, the study population lacked knowledge regarding the importance of vitamin A. Consumption frequency of vitamin A-rich foods was still poorer in slum and rural areas than in urban and semi-urban areas.

Socio-Demographic Influences on Adolescents' Eating Behavior: Based on the Korean Youth Risk Web-Based Survey from 2015

This study was conducted to explore socio-demographic influences on eating behaviors among adolescents in Korea. Data were obtained from the Eleventh Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2015 KYRBS), a nationwide representative sample of 3,532,149 middle and high school students. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, t-test, and logistic regression based on complex sample design using SPSS 20.0 statistics. The results showed that intake frequency of soda, fast food, and instant noodles was higher in male than female students (P<0.001). Additionally, the frequency of eating breakfast, fruits, vegetables, and milk was higher among high school students than middle school students (P<0.001). Higher levels of economic status were associated with less skipping breakfast. Adolescents with mothers that had higher levels of education were more likely to be frequent consumers of fruits, vegetables, and milk, and to eat breakfast.

A Study on Relationship between Socio-demographic Factors and Food Consumption Frequencies among Adolescents in South Korea: Using the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2011 / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of socio-demographic factors on food consumption frequencies among adolescents in Korea. Data were obtained from the Seventh Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2011 KYRBS), a nationwide representative sample of 75,643 (37,873 males and 37,770 females) middle and high school students. It was carried out as a self-administered on-line survey. The frequency of eating breakfast was 4.8 times per week for middle school students and 4.6 times per week for high school students (p < 0.001). Higher levels of perceived household economic status, family affluence scale (FAS) and education attainment of mother were associated with more frequent breakfast eating. The frequencies of consumption of vegetables and milk were higher in males than in females (p < 0.001). The frequency of consumption fruits was higher in females than in males (p < 0.01). Higher levels of perceived household economic status, FAS and education attainment of mother were associated with more frequent consumption of vegetable, fruits and milk. The frequencies of consumption of soda, fast food and instant noodls were higher in males than in females (p < 0.001). The frequency of consumption of snacks was higher in females than in males. Adolescents with lower levels of FAS and education attainment of mother were at risk for skipping breakfast and consuming of soda, fast food and instant noodls more frequently. Whereas, adolescents with higher levels of FAS, education attainment of mother were more likely to be frequent consumers of vegetable, fruits and milk. These findings demonstrated that being high school students and belonging to lower level of socio-economic status (SES) were associated with undesirable food habits.

Hábitos alimentarios en adolescentes de séptimo grado del municipio 10 de Octubre / Alimentary habits in adolescents of 7th degree from 10 de Octubre municipality

Introducción: la nutrición juega un papel crítico en la salud del adolescente, y el consumo de una dieta inadecuada puede influir desfavorablemente sobre el crecimiento somático y la maduración sexual, por lo que constituye una etapa crucial del desarrollo, en la que prevalecen con alta frecuencia trastornos nutricionales. Métodos: se desarrolló un estudio descriptivo transversal, con el objetivo principal de identificar y describir los gustos, preferencias y frecuencia de consumo de alimentos de los adolescentes de séptimo grado que asisten a la Secundaria Básica José María Heredia, en el curso 2009-2010. La población estuvo constituida por 192 adolescentes, a los cuales con previo consentimiento de los padres, se les aplicó una encuesta alimentaria de gustos, preferencias y frecuencia semanal de consumo de alimentos. Resultados: los grupos de alimentos que más gustaron fueron mantequilla, mayonesa y queso crema, dulces, confituras y refrescos, mayormente consumidos a diario, a diferencia de las frutas y vegetales. El 14,1 por ciento de los adolescentes gustaban de bebidas alcohólicas, y el 15,6 por ciento las consumía al menos una vez a la semana. Conclusiones: existen deficiencias en la educación alimentaria e inadecuados hábitos alimentarios en los adolescentes estudiados(AU)

Introduction: the nutrition plays a critical role in the adolescent health and the consumption of a inappropriate diet may to influence in an unfavorable way on the somatic growth and the sexual maturation being a crucial stage of development where frequently prevail the nutritional disorders. Methods: a cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted to identify and to describe the tastes, preferences and frequency of food consumption of adolescent of 7th degree studying in the "José María Heredia" Secondary School in the 2009-2010 course. Sample included 192 adolescents and with the parents consent underwent to alimentary survey on tastes, preferences and weekly frequency of food consumption. Results: the more preferred foods were the butter, mayonnaise and cream-cheese, sweets, preserves and soft drinks, mainly consumed daily; unlike the fruits and vegetables. The 14,1 percent of adolescents preferred the alcohol and the 15,6 percent consumed them at least once a week. Conclusions: there are deficiencies in the alimentary education as well as inappropriate alimentary habits in the study adolescents(AU)

The association of heavy metals in blood, fish consumption frequency, and risk of cardiovascular diseases among Korean adults: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2010)

Limited studies are available concerning the effect of heavy metal exposure on cardiovascular diseases. As environmental pollution increases, food contamination, including heavy metal contamination of fish, also increases. However, researches based on the intake of heavy metals, cardiovascular disease, and fish intakes are inconclusive. We assessed an association of heavy metal exposure with cardiovascular disease and fish intake in a nationally representative group of general Korean adults. We used data from the combined 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), and analyzed the data of 5,139 Koreans who participated in KNHANES. All participants were older than 20 years, and were diagnosed with stroke, ischemic heart disease, or hypertension. The mean blood cadmium, lead concentration, and mercury concentration of subjects were 1.07 +/- 0.01 microg/L, 2.49 +/- 0.02 microg/dL, and 5.19 +/- 0.08 microg/L, respectively. We used the survey logistic regression model to account for the complex sample design of the cardiovascular disease risk in order to estimate the odds ratios (OR). After adjusting for age, education, income, alcohol, smoking, and BMI, the increase of serum cadmium in blood was associated with the increase in the prevalence of hypertension. Further, the increase in blood cadmium concentration was associated with the increase of both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Although higher fish intakes were significantly associated with higher blood mercury concentration (p for trend < 0.0001), fish intakes did not affect either blood cadmium or lead concentration. Comparing the highest fish intake group with the lowest intake group, the OR of hypertension was 0.31 (95% CI: 0.19-0.59) in the crude model for total fish. However, these associations were no longer significant after the adjustment for potential confounding factors. In conclusion, cadmium in blood was associated with an increased risk of hypertension in the general Korean adult population. However, we found no evidence of a clear relationship between cardiovascular disease and frequency of fish consumption.

Conocimientos nutricionales y frecuencia de consumo de alimentos: un estudio de caso / Nutritional knowledge and consumption frequency of foods: a case study

El presente estudio investiga los conocimientos nutricionales de una muestra de la población de consumidores en Uruguay y su frecuencia de consumo de alimentos. 270 individuos completaron una adaptación local del General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire de Parmenter & Wardle y contestaron una encuesta sobre su frecuencia de consumo de 39 grupos de alimentos. Por medio de un Análisis de Conglomerados se identificaron 2 grupos de participantes con diferente nivel de conocimientos nutricionales: el clúster 1 (n = 177) y el clúster 2 (n = 93), quienes proporcionaron un valor promedio de 73.6% y 52.9% de respuestas correctas, respectivamente. Los grupos se diferenciaron en forma significativa (p ≤ 0.05) en su distribución por edad y nivel de educación, estando el clúster 1 compuesto principalmente por adultos mayores y con mayor nivel de estudios. Algunas áreas del conocimiento fueron extremadamente pobres, como ser el conocimiento sobre el número de porciones de frutas y verduras que se deberían consumir por día y el aporte calórico de los distintos nutrientes. En términos generales, los conocimientos nutricionales influyeron positivamente en la frecuencia de consumo de alimentos, dado que la población que presentó mayores conocimientos nutricionales declaró un mayor consumo de frutas y verduras y de alimentos de bajo tenor graso y un menor consumo de alimentos con alto contenido de grasas y azúcares.

The relationship between nutritional knowledge and the consumption frequency of preferred food-types was studied among one sample of Uruguayan consumers. A locally-adapted version of Parmenter & Wardle's General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire and a food consumption survey based on 39 food groups were completed by a total of 270 participants. Cluster Analysis enabled the identification of two clusters showing different levels of nutritional knowledge -cluster 1 (n = 177) and cluster 2 (n = 93), providing an average of 73.6% and 52.9% of correct answers, respectively. These clusters differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in age and educational distribution .cluster 1 was composed mainly by older adults and persons with a higher educational level. A number of areas were identified where nutritional knowledge was extremely poor, as was the case with the recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake and the caloric content of the nutrients. Overall, nutritional knowledge was found to have a positive influence on food preferences and consumption frequency, those participants with a higher nutritional knowledge reporting a higher consumption of fruits, vegetables and low-fat products, in addition to a lower consumption of high-fat and high-sugar foods.

Dieticians' intentions to recommend functional foods: The mediating role of consumption frequency of functional foods

This study explored the conceptual framework of dieticians' intentions to recommend functional food and the mediating role of consumption frequency. A web-based survey was designed using a self-administered questionnaire. A sample of Korean dieticians (N=233) responded to the questionnaire that included response efficacy, risk perception, consumption frequency, and recommendation intention for functional foods. A structural equation model was constructed to analyze the data. We found that response efficacy was positively related to frequency of consumption of functional foods and to recommendation intention. Consumption frequency also positively influenced recommendation intention. Risk perception had no direct influence on recommendation intention; however, the relationship was mediated completely by consumption frequency. Dieticians' consumption frequency and response efficacy were the crucial factors in recommending functional foods. Dieticians may perceive risks arising from the use of functional foods in general, but the perceived risks do not affect ratings describing dieticians' intentions to recommend them. The results also indicated that when dieticians more frequently consume functional foods, the expression of an intention to recommend functional foods may be controlled by the salience of past behaviors rather than by attitudes.

Dietary Behavior Factors for Desirable Nutrient Intakes of the Oldest-old Population in Sunchang County / 대한지역사회영양학회지

In order to identify valuable factors for improving dietary quality of Korean rural elderly, the consumption frequency of food groups, dietary habits and health behaviors related to nutrient intakes of the elderly over 85 of Sunchang County were studied. The 171 subjects (61 males and 110 females) were chosen from Sunchang Province by stratified sampling. Among food groups, the consumption frequency of meat and fish groups influenced significantly on their nutrient intakes than the other groups. The subjects consuming more than 4 times per week of meat or fish had significantly higher nutrient intakes level than the other groups. The group consuming milk and milk products everday was higher in vitamin B2 intake level than the other groups. Among dietary habits, the groups with good appetite and regular mealtime compared with the groups with low appetite and irregular mealtime had significantly higher nutrient intake levels. The family type was the determining factor of nutrient intakes. The subjects living with family members consumed higher nutrient intakes than the subjects living alone. The smoking and the alcohol consumption themselves did not affect nutrient intakes, but the subjects having alcohol consumption frequently more than once a day had lower nutrient intakes than the others. The group with dentures did not differ significantly from the without denture group in nutrient intakes; however, those who had chewing problems showed the lower nutrient intakes compared to those who did not have chewing problems. The subjects with more than two kinds of clinical symptoms had lower nutrient intakes than the subjects with less than two kinds of clinical symptoms. These results indicate that the identifying factors for desirable nutrient intakes of rural elderly were characterized as appropriate consumption frequencies of meat and fish, good appetite, living with family, regular mealtime, chewing without difficulty, and low incidence of chronic disease.

Study on Altered Food Preference and Food Frequency in Stroke Patients

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary habits and altered food preferences of stroke patients. One hundred and forty-six outpatients, who had experienced their first-ever stroke and were admitted to Asan Medical Center between July and December 2000, were studied. Using interviews, we assessed the altered food preferences, food consumption frequency, and other factors influencing the food preferences and food consumption frequency of the subjects. These results were analyzed with 2 t-tests, and multiple regression analysis, using the SPSS package program. Preferences for pork, red fish, coffee, bread and stews were higher in male stroke patients than in females. The frequency of consumption of beef, pork, white fish, red fish, egg, garlic, onion, coffee, instant noodles, bread, and culinary vegetables increased in the male stroke patients more than in the females. Food preferences were influenced by income, risk factors, subjective tastes and location of brain ischemic lesions. Food consumption frequency was affected by food preference, income, drugs, alcohol, marital status, sex, and dysgeusia. As a result of multiple regression analysis, the frequency of consumption of white fish, red fish, eggs, soy milk, milk, garlic, onions, coffee, noodles, bread, bean-paste stew, kimchi, culinary vegetables, and greasy foods were the most affected by each food preference. Our results suggest that food consumption frequency may vary with food preference, income, drugs, alcohol, marital status, sex, and dysgeusia, and nutrition education should be formulated to prevent stroke recurrence based on the food preferences, subjective tastes, and risk factors of individual stroke patients.

A Study on the Factors Influencing Food Consumption by Food Frequency Questionnaire far the Middle Aged and Elderly Living in the Chonju Area / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was conducted to find the differences in food consumption frequency of the middle aged(male 20, female 50) and the elderly(male 15, female 15) living in Chonju in December, 1998 according to food habits, smoking, alcohol drinking and exercising habit, health status, and the levels of nutrition knowledge and attitude store. The foods frequently consumed among the subjects were kimchi(15.4/week), mixed rice(11.5/week), rice(7.6/week), vegetables in soup, jjigae and jorim(5.0/week), mandarins and oranges(5.e/week), and seasoned laver(4.3/week). There were several factors influencing food consumption patterns. These were age, regularity of meal times, the status of smoking, alcohol drinking and exercising, and the level of nutrition attitude. The elderly ate cooked rice more frequently, while the middle aged ate fish, especially blue fishes more frequently. The middle aged who had breakfast regularly ate milk and milk products, legumes and fruits frequently. Those who smoked seemed to eat less cereals and starches and fats, while those who didn't smoke ate more sugars. The alcohol drinking group also ate less fats and the exorcising group ate almost all of food groups frequently. The status of health showed to be related with food consumption patterns. The normal group in hemoglobin ate eggs more frequently than the anemia group and the high risk group in blood pressure ate almost all of food groups more frequently. The high level group for nutrition attitude score chose vegetables, fruits, and milk and milk products more frequently than the other groups. On the other hand, low level group for nutrition attitude score was apt to eat ramyun, ham-sausage, and carbonated beverages more frequently. Therefore, nutrition education to improve the food habits find to change nutrition attitude is necessary to promote health status anti mole attention should be taken to the high risk group in blood pressure to guide proper food and nutrition intakes.