A rapid beverage intake questionnaire can detect changes in beverage intake.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Dietary Assessment

Background:

• Growing attention on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) necessitates tools to quantify intake.
• A brief, valid, reliable, and sensitive assessment tool is needed to study beverage consumption and its impact on weight status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 15-item beverage questionnaire (BEVQ-15) for its ability to detect changes in beverage intake over time.
• To assess the reliability and sensitivity of the BEVQ-15 in a controlled intervention study.

Main Methods:

• Participants (n=70) completed two 30-day periods (intervention: increased water/juice; control: increased solid fruit) with a washout phase.
• The BEVQ-15 was administered at the start and end of each period.
• Reliability was assessed using correlations and Cronbach's alpha; sensitivity to change was evaluated using t-tests and ANOVA.

Main Results:

• The BEVQ-15 demonstrated acceptable reliability for most beverage categories, excluding energy drinks.
• Significant increases in water, juice, and total beverage intake were detected during the intervention period (P<0.001).
• No significant changes in these variables were observed during the control period.

Conclusions:

• The BEVQ-15 is a valid, reliable, and sensitive tool for assessing beverage intake.
• This brief, self-administered questionnaire can effectively detect changes in consumption patterns over time.
• The BEVQ-15 is suitable for researchers and practitioners evaluating and intervening on adult beverage intake.