Studies assessing food consumption by the scores method: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Dietary Assessment

Background:

• Evaluating food consumption patterns is crucial for understanding dietary habits and their health implications.
• The scores method by Fornés et al. (2002) offers a quantitative approach to assess food consumption.
• Systematic reviews are essential for synthesizing evidence on the utility of specific dietary assessment tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review studies utilizing the Fornés et al. scores method for food consumption evaluation.
• To discuss the efficacy of this method in assessing food patterns.
• To explore the method's utility in identifying associations with health and socioeconomic variables.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of Medline, Lilacs, and Scielo databases (2002-2016).
• Inclusion of studies using the Fornés et al. scores method for food consumption assessment.
• Selection of 14 relevant articles after initial screening of 8300 items.

Main Results:

• The Fornés et al. scores method was employed in 14 selected studies.
• Studies utilized diverse food groupings and examined associations with anthropometric, socioeconomic, and biochemical variables.
• The method demonstrated capability in evaluating food patterns.

Conclusions:

• The scores method by Fornés et al. is a valid tool for evaluating food patterns.
• This method facilitates the establishment of associations between dietary patterns and anthropometric, biochemical, socioeconomic, and clinical variables.
• The method aids in understanding the impact of diet on health outcomes.