Food Frequency Questionnaires Validated in Brazil: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Epidemiology
• Public Health Nutrition

Background:

• Accurate dietary assessment is crucial for understanding population health.
• Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) are widely used tools for dietary assessment.
• Validation of FFQs for specific populations ensures their reliability and applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map and summarize food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) that have been validated for use in the Brazilian population.
• To provide an overview of the existing validated FFQs for dietary assessment in Brazil.

Main Methods:

• A systematic scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR and JBI guidelines.
• Searches were performed in major databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar) up to June 2025.
• Included studies focused on FFQ validation specifically for Brazilian populations, assessing energy, nutrients, foods, and food groups.

Main Results:

• A total of 69 articles on validated FFQs in Brazil were identified, with studies dating back to the late 1990s.
• Validated FFQs were mapped across different Brazilian regions, with the Southeast region having the highest number of studies (n=35).
• FFQs were validated for diverse age groups, including children and adolescents (n=18), adults and older adults (n=36), and women (n=15), with variations in food list size, portion size, and frequency categories.

Conclusions:

• The compilation and dissemination of validated FFQs in Brazil are essential for improving their application in clinical settings.
• This mapping exercise serves as a valuable resource for researchers designing future studies on food consumption patterns in Brazil.
• Standardizing and promoting the use of validated FFQs will enhance the quality of dietary intake data in Brazil.