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Published on: September 18, 2018
Reproducibility and Relative Validity of a Short Food Frequency Questionnaire in 9-10 Year-Old Children
Pouya Saeedi1, Sheila A Skeaff2, Jyh Eiin Wong3
1Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. pouya.saeedi@otago.ac.nz.
Insights
This study validated a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for children aged 9-10 years. The FFQ demonstrated good reproducibility and validity for ranking children's dietary intake, making it suitable for large studies.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Dietary Assessment Methods
Background:
- Accurate dietary assessment is crucial for understanding child nutrition.
- Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are common tools but require validation for specific populations.
- Evaluating the reproducibility and validity of FFQs in children is essential for reliable data collection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reproducibility and validity of a non-quantitative 28-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).
- To determine the FFQ's suitability for use in large cohort studies involving 9-10 year-old children in New Zealand.
Main Methods:
- A 28-item FFQ was administered twice to 50 children (aged 9-10 years) over two weeks.
- A four-day estimated food diary (4DEFD) was used as a reference for validity testing.
- Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Spearman's correlation coefficients (SCC) were calculated to assess reproducibility and validity, respectively.
Main Results:
- Over half (52.2%) of food items/groups showed an ICC ≥0.5, indicating good reproducibility.
- The median SCC between FFQ administrations was 0.66, with a range of 0.40 to 0.82.
- Validity analysis showed 70% of food items/groups had an SCC ≥0.3 when compared to the 4DEFD.
Conclusions:
- The FFQ is a useful tool for ranking children's intake of various food items/groups.
- The questionnaire's low respondent burden and simplicity make it appropriate for large-scale pediatric cohort studies in New Zealand.
- Findings support the use of this FFQ for dietary surveillance in 9-10 year-old children.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility and validity of a non-quantitative 28-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Children aged 9-10 years (n = 50) from three schools in Dunedin, New Zealand, completed the FFQ twice and a four-day estimated food diary (4DEFD) over a two-week period. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Spearman's correlation coefficients (SCC) were used to determine reproducibility and validity of the FFQ, respectively. Weekly intakes were estimated for each food item and aggregated into 23 food items/groups. More than half of the food items/groups (52.2%) had an ICC ≥0.5. The median SCC between FFQ administrations was 0.66 (ranging from 0.40 for processed meat to 0.82 for sweets and non-dairy drinks). Cross-classification analysis between the first FFQ and 4DEFD for ranking participants into thirds showed that breakfast cereals had the highest agreement (54.0%) and pasta the lowest (34.0%). In validity analyses, 70% of food items/groups had a SCC ≥0.3. Results indicate that the FFQ is a useful tool for ranking children according to food items/groups intake. The low respondent burden and relative simplicity of the FFQ makes it suitable for use in large cohort studies of 9-10 year-old children in New Zealand.
