Use of a food frequency questionnaire to fulfill the research competency requirement for dietetics students

This article describes a research project developed by the Nutrition Division at Georgia State University (GSU). The project involved students' development of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and satisfied the research competency requirements of the American Dietetic Association's accrediting body. Both Coordinated Program students and Dietetic Interns from a variety of research training backgrounds were trained as a single group on topics related to the research requirements and that would prepare them to develop and use a FFQ. Students completed a literature review on a nutrient or food group of interest and received training on human subject research, subject recruitment, and data analysis with statistical methods. They then developed, administered, and analyzed the results of a FFQ and compared it to a gold standard FFQ. GSU nutrition professors conducted pre- and post-session surveys to gauge whether students gained the research skills they need. Students' evaluation of the assignment strongly suggests that they felt more capable of calculating and interpreting results from survey data after completing the project. The present article provides a framework other nutrition educators can follow. Other allied health educators can consider designing similar research projects that: (a) are uniquely relevant to their professional competency requirements, (b) are feasible for students from a variety of research training backgrounds, and (c) allow students to practice using research tools and skills frequently used in their profession.