Reproducibility and comparability of a computerized, self-administered food frequency questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Assessment
• Public Health

Background:

• Dietary patterns are linked to cancer risk.
• Accurate dietary assessment tools are crucial for identifying at-risk individuals.
• Computerized tools can streamline data collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a self-administered, microcomputer-based dietary assessment questionnaire.
• To assess the reproducibility and relative validity of the questionnaire for identifying cancer risk-related dietary patterns.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed for microcomputer administration.
• The FFQ was administered twice, one month apart, to 50 adult volunteers.
• Reproducibility and relative validity were tested against seven-day food records.

Main Results:

• The FFQ demonstrated good reproducibility for calories, fat, percentage of calories from fat, cholesterol, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and dietary fiber (Spearman r = 0.56–0.87).
• Relative validity for percentage of kilocalories from fat was acceptable (Spearman's r = 0.58–0.62).
• Significant differences were found between FFQ and food record estimates for kilocalories, fat, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and dietary fiber.

Conclusions:

• Computerized dietary assessment using self-administered questionnaires is potentially suitable for clinical, educational, and research use.
• The tool shows promise for studies focusing on the percentage of calories from fat in healthy adults.
• Further refinement may be needed for precise estimation of other nutrient intakes.