Development,Relative Validity,and Reproducibility of a Short Food Frequency Questionnaire for the Japanese

We have developed a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for use in assessing diet quality for Japan, with special reference to the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Here, we assessed the ranking performance of this FFQ and its reproducibility. We developed a 28-item (21 food groups and 7 beverage) FFQ with consideration to both Japanese dietary culture and evidence of disease prevention. Twenty-four university faculty members participated in the validation study. They completed 3-day photographic food record and answered the FFQ on the next day of the last food record (time 1) and a week later (time 2). We calculated Spearman correlation coefficients between intakes of food groups from photographic food records and the consumption frequency from the FFQs (ranking ability) and between the consumption frequency of food groups from the FFQs (time 1 and time 2) (reproducibility). Spearman correlation coefficients between the food records and FFQ (time 1) ranged from −0.12 to 0.86 (median 0.51). These values were comparable to those in comparison with FFQ (time 2). After energy adjustment of intakes from the food records, the corresponding values were somewhat weakened for many food groups. The correlation coefficients between two FFQs ranged from 0.14 to 0.96 (median 0.79). The short FFQ showed acceptable reproducibility and ability to rank the consumption of most food groups.     

Development and Relative Validity of a Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire to Estimate Dietary Intake among a Multi-Ethnic Population in the Malaysian Cohort Project

Measuring dietary intakes in a multi-ethnic and multicultural setting, such as Malaysia, remains a challenge due to its diversity. This study aims to develop and evaluate the relative validity of an interviewer-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in assessing the habitual dietary exposure of The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) participants. We developed a nutrient database (with 203 items) based on various food consumption tables, and 803 participants were involved in this study. The output of the FFQ was then validated against three-day 24-h dietary recalls (n = 64). We assessed the relative validity and its agreement using various methods, such as Spearman’s correlation, weighed Kappa, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland–Altman analysis. Spearman’s correlation coefficient ranged from 0.24 (vitamin C) to 0.46 (carbohydrate), and almost all nutrients had correlation coefficients above 0.3, except for vitamin C and sodium. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from −0.01 (calcium) to 0.59 (carbohydrates), and weighted Kappa exceeded 0.4 for 50% of nutrients. In short, TMC’s FFQ appears to have good relative validity for the assessment of nutrient intake among its participants, as compared to the three-day 24-h dietary recalls. However, estimates for iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C should be interpreted with caution.     

The Relative Validity and Reproducibility of Food Frequency Questionnaires in the China Kadoorie Biobank Study

Background: Short versions of qualitative and quantitative food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are widely used to assess usual food intake. However, fewer studies evaluated their relative validity and reproducibility in the Chinese population. Methods: This study compared 12-day 24-h dietary recalls with qualitative and quantitative FFQs designed by the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study to assess the relative validity. Two FFQs were administered in the second and third seasons and compared to evaluate the reproducibility. Statistical tests included Spearman correlation coefficients, weighted kappa, and cross-classification. Results: A total of 432 participants were eligible after stratifying by age, sex, and four regions. In the validation of qualitative FFQ, adjusted Spearman coefficients were between 0.23 and 0.59, and weighted kappa coefficients ranged from 0.61 to 0.88, except for fresh vegetables. The percentage of correct classification was highest in fresh vegetables and lowest in fresh fruit, but the percentages of extreme classification were below 3.0%. Corresponding Spearman and kappa coefficients for the reproducibility were 0.17–0.56 and 0.62–0.90. Furthermore, the correct classification constituted between 35.6 and 93.3% of all participants. Regarding the relative validity of the quantitative FFQ, Spearman coefficients ranged from 0.14 to 0.69 in addition to dried vegetables and carbonated soft drinks. For items with more than two-thirds of total participants consumed, weighted kappa coefficients were from 0.57 to 0.79; correct classification percentages were between 34.6% and 67.5%. Spearman and kappa coefficients for the reproducibility of the quantitative FFQ were 0.15–0.71 and 0.60–0.86, respectively; correct classification percentages varied from 47.8% to 71.6%. Conclusion: Most food items from the qualitative FFQ showed acceptable or even good relative validity and reproducibility in the CKB study. Likewise, major food items in the quantitative FFQ were valid and reproducible, but poor performances of dried vegetables and carbonated soft drinks indicated the need for modification and validation in future research.     

Reproducibility and Validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire among Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City

Objective: Our objective was to assess the reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) among individuals living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Methods: A total of 116 food items in our FFQ were selected by ranking food items according to their contribution to the population intake of nutrients, based on multiple 24-hour recalls (24HRs) from 144 participants in July 2001. The FFQ was validated by using three 24HRs for 118 men and women in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in August 2002. The reproducibility of the FFQ was assessed by repeated administration at 7 ± 3.4 days.

Results: The reproducibility study showed that Spearman correlation coefficients, adjusted for energy intake, ranged from 0.47 to 0.72, and that weighted kappa values ranged from 0.42 for lipid to 0.65 for potassium. In the validation study, correlation coefficients, adjusted for energy intake, between the FFQ and the 24HRs ranged from 0.16 (calcium) to 0.45 (retinol). The proportion of subjects classified by the FFQ into the same third as determined by the 24HRs was between 42% and 62%.

Conclusions: This food frequency questionnaire measured the usual intake of major nutrients for Vietnamese adults living in Ho Chi Minh City and its urban area, where dietary patterns are similar to those of the Vietnamese population.     

Relative Validity and Reproducibility of a Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Food Group Intake in Pregnant Jordanian Women

BackgroundResearch on the relationship between maternal diet and pregnancy outcomes requires valid dietary assessment tools in pregnancy.ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop and examine the relative validity and reproducibility of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate food group intake in a sample of pregnant Jordanian women.DesignIn this validation study, food group intake from a culturally sensitive quantitative FFQ was compared with food group intake from three 24-hour dietary recalls.Participants and settingThe validation study was conducted from 2015 to 2017 at the maternity clinics in Jordan University Hospital among 131 healthy singleton pregnant Jordanian women. Of these women, 30 also took part in the reproducibility phase, which involved repeated completion of the FFQ in a time frame of 1 month. Pregnant women who had gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and chronic diseases were excluded.Main outcome measuresRelative validity and reproducibility of a 117-item quantitative FFQ used to estimate usual food intake over a period of 1 month.Statistical analyses performedIntraclass correlation coefficients and weighted κ statistics were calculated to test the reproducibility between the two administrations of the FFQ. Pearson correlations were estimated to validate the FFQ against 24-hour dietary recalls. Cross-classification and Bland-Altman plots were used to examine the agreement between the two dietary assessment methods.ResultsThe intraclass correlation coefficients between the two FFQs ranged from 0.24 for legumes to 0.93 for processed meats. A moderate level of agreement was observed between two FFQs. De-attenuated and energy-adjusted correlations ranged from 0.08 for sweets and sugar to 0.93 for sugary drinks. On average, 50.9% and 45.2% of participants were classified by the FFQ and the 24-hour dietary recalls into the same quartile based on their crude and energy-adjusted food group intake, respectively. Bland-Altman plots showed satisfactory agreement between two methods for most food groups.ConclusionsThe FFQ showed moderate reproducibility and good relative validity for most food groups.     

Validity and Reproducibility of a Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Nutrients Intake of Pregnant Women in the South-East of Spain

Proper nutrition during pregnancy is pivotal to maintain good health for the child and the mother. This study evaluates the reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed to assess nutrient intake during pregnancy in the GENEIDA (Genetics, Early life Environmental Exposures and Infant Development in Andalusia) prospective birth cohort study. In addition, the nutrient intake was estimated and then compared with European guidelines and other studies. Diet information was collected from 690 pregnant women using a FFQ administered at two periods of pregnancy (used for the reproducibility study) and 24-h dietary recall (for the validity study). Statistical approaches included Spearman’s correlation coefficient and percentage agreement, classifying women into the same or adjacent quintiles to assess reproducibility, and limits of agreement (LoA) to evaluate validity. In the study of reproducibility, significant correlations for nutrients adjusted for total energy had an average of 0.417. Moreover, the percentage of subjects classified in the same quintile for nutrient intakes were above 66%. In the validation study, the significant correlation for nutrients adjusted for total energy had an average of 0.272. Nevertheless, the percentage of results in the LoA was above 94%. Our results were similar to other studies suggesting that the FFQ used is a valid tool of collect dietary intakes for South-East Spanish pregnant women.     

Assessment of Pre-Pregnancy Dietary Intake with a Food Frequency Questionnaire in Alberta Women

Purpose: Pre-pregnancy is an under-examined and potentially important time to optimize dietary intake to support fetal growth and development as well as maternal health. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which dietary intake reported by non-pregnant women is similar to pre-pregnancy dietary intake reported by pregnant women using the same assessment tool. Methods: The self-administered, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was adapted from the Canadian version of the Diet History Questionnaire, originally developed by the National Cancer Institute in the United States. Pregnant women (n = 98) completed the FFQ which assessed dietary intake for the year prior to pregnancy. Non-pregnant women (n = 103) completed the same FFQ which assessed dietary intake for the previous year. Energy, macronutrients, and key micronutrients: long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, folate, vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, calcium, vitamin D and iron were examined. Results: Dietary intake between groups; reported with the FFQ; was similar except for saturated fat; trans fat; calcium; and alcohol. Pregnant women reported significantly higher intakes of saturated fat; trans fat; and calcium and lower intake of alcohol in the year prior to pregnancy compared to non-pregnant women who reported intake in the previous year. Conclusions: Despite limitations; a FFQ may be used to assist with retrospective assessment of pre-pregnancy dietary intake.     

The 72-Item Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (72-Item SQ-FFQ) for Polish Young Adults: Reproducibility and Relative Validity

The food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are the most common tools used in dietary research. Each newly developed, modified, or adapted FFQ should be validated in the target population. The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility and relative validity of the 72-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (72-item SQ-FFQ) for Polish adults. The 72-item SQ-FFQ was developed based on a non-quantitative FFQ covering 62 food items (62-item FFQ-6®). The study was conducted among 186 university students aged 19–26 years (47.8% of females). The FFQ was administered on two occasions (FFQcrude and FFQretest) to assess the test–retest reproducibility, and the FFQcrude was compared with the estimated food record (FRcrude) to evaluate the relative validity of the FFQ in assessing the intake of energy, 38 nutrients, and alcohol. The energy intake obtained with both methods was standardized to 2000 kcal/day (FFQstand, FRstand). The dietary intake obtained with FFQcrude was adjusted using linear regression analysis (FFQreg). The reproducibility and relative validity of the FFQ were assessed by comparing the mean values of energy and nutrient intake and using Spearman’s correlation coefficient, the cross-classification analysis, and the Bland–Altman method. Spearman’s correlation coefficient between both administrations of the FFQ ranged from 0.631 to 0.878 (the intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.583–0.935), for FFQcrude and FRcrude ranged from −0.025 to 0.390, for FFQstand and FRstand ranged from 0.021 to 0.546, and for FFQreg and FRcrude ranged from 0.028 to 0.391. The percentage of respondents classified into the same or adjacent quartiles of nutrient intake obtained from two administrations of the FFQ ranged from 84.9% to 97.8%, for FFQcrude and FRcrude ranged from 61.3% to 76.9%, for FFQstand and FRstand ranged from 63.4% to 83.9%, and for FFQreg and FRcrude ranged from 60.2% to 76.9%. In conclusion, our findings showed good reproducibility and acceptable relative validity of the 72-item SQ-FFQ. This tool can be recommended for assessing dietary intake among Polish young adults. However, the intake of certain nutrients should be interpreted with caution.     

Relative Validity of a Short 15-Item Food Frequency Questionnaire Measuring Dietary Quality,by the Diet History Method

Food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) are commonly used dietary assessment tools. The aim was to assess the relative validity of a 15-item FFQ, designed for the screening of poor dietary patterns with a validated diet history (DH). The study population was derived from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies. The DH registrations were harmonized in accordance with the FFQ frequencies. The agreement was assessed by Cohen’s kappa with corresponding confidence intervals (CI) for the frequency and categorical variables. Bland–Altman plots were used for the numeric variables. The study comprised data from 848 individuals (55.2% women). Overall, there was high agreement between the methods, with the exact and adjacent level of agreement over 80% for eight variables. The proportion attributed to the opposite frequency was fairly low for most of the frequency variables. Most of the kappa values were in fair or moderate agreement. The highest kappa values were calculated for the type of cooking fat (k = 0.68, CI = 0.63–0.72) and sandwich spread (k = 0.55, CI = 0.49–0.53), and the lowest for type of bread (0.13, CI = 0.07–0.20) and sweets (0.22 CI = 0.18–0.27). In conclusion, the FFQ showed overall good agreement compared with the DH. We, therefore, think it, with some improvements, could serve as a simple screening tool for poor dietary patterns.     

Relative Validity and Reproducibility of a Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire for Determining Nutrient Intake in Older Adults in New Zealand: The REACH Study

Dietary intake is an important predictor of health and disease outcomes. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relative validity and reproducibility of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for assessing energy and nutrient intake in older adults. Dietary data were collected 2018–2019 in Auckland, New Zealand from a convenience sample of community-dwelling adults (65–74 years, n = 294, 37% male) using a 109-item self-administered FFQ at baseline (FFQ1) and four weeks later to assess reproducibility. FFQ1 was compared to a four-day food record to determine relative validity. Agreement between dietary assessment tools was assessed for both raw and energy-adjusted nutrient intakes using paired t-tests, correlation coefficients, weighted kappa statistic, Bland–Altman plots, and linear regression analysis. Energy adjustments moderately improved the relative validity and reproducibility for most nutrients. For energy and energy-adjusted nutrient intakes, the mean correlation coefficients were 0.38 (validity) and 0.65 (reproducibility); the mean weighted kappa statistics were 0.27 (validity) and 0.51 (reproducibility). A significant slope of bias was present in 54% (validity) and 25% (reproducibility) of Bland–Altman plots. The Researching Eating, Activity, and Cognitive Health (REACH) FFQ has acceptable relative validity and good reproducibility for ranking nutrient intakes in older New Zealand adults, but is less suitable for assessing absolute nutrient intakes.     

Reproducibility and Validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) Developed for Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Semarang,Indonesia

We assessed the reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) among middle-aged and older adults in Semarang, Indonesia. A total of 259 subjects aged 40–80 years completed two FFQs (nine-month apart) and nine 24 h dietary recalls (24HDRs, as a reference method). The reproducibility of the FFQ was analyzed using correlation coefficient, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), weighted kappa statistics and misclassification analysis. The validity was estimated by comparing the data acquired from FFQ1 and 24HDRs. The crude Pearson’s correlation coefficients and ICC for total energy and nutrients between FFQ1 and FFQ2 ranged from 0.50 to 0.81 and 0.44 to 0.78, respectively. Energy adjustment decreased the correlation coefficients for most nutrients. The crude, energy-adjusted and de-attenuated correlation coefficients for FFQ1 and 24HDRs ranged from 0.41 to 0.70, 0.31 to 0.89 and 0.54 to 0.82, respectively. The agreement rates for the same or adjacent quartile classifications were 81.1–94.6% for two FFQs and 80.7–89.6% for FFQ1 and 24HDRs. The weighted kappa values were 0.21 to 0.42 for two FFQs and 0.20 to 0.34 for FFQ1 and 24HDRs. A positive mean difference was found in the Bland–Altman analyses for energy and macronutrients. The FFQ could be acceptable for nutritional epidemiology study among Indonesians.     

Validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire in Assessing Nutrient Intakes of Low-Income Pregnant Women

Objective: In 1989, a validation study of eight nutrients was performed on a modified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) specifically designed for low-income pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to broaden the scope of the previous study by assessing the validity of the FFQ for 17 additional nutrients. Methods: The Pregnancy Food Frequency Questionnaire (PFFQ) was administered to a sample of 295 low-income, pregnant women aged 14–43 years living in Massachusetts. A randomly selected subsample of 101 women who provided at least one diet recall and reported intake of less than 4,500 calories were included in this analysis. Results: Mean intake of 25 nutrients as assessed by one administration of the PFFQ and up to three diet recalls collected over 1 month were similar. Unadjusted correlation coefficients between nutrient intake measured by diet recalls and the questionnaire ranged from .28 (carotene) to .61 (folate). After adjusting for energy intake the correlations ranged from .03 (B12) to .46 (folate). The correlations corrected for day-to-day variation were higher, ranging from .07 (B12) to .90 (zinc). The mean correlation was .47 and there were 54% over .40. Conclusions: A food frequency questionnaire for English-speaking, low-income, pregnant women can provide maternal and child health practitioners and researchers a valid estimate of diet across a wide range of nutrients.     

Reliability and Concurrent and Construct Validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Pregnant Women at High Risk to Develop Fetal Growth Restriction

Accuracy of dietary assessment instruments such as food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is crucial in the evaluation of diet–disease relationships. Test–retest reliability and concurrent and construct validity of a FFQ were evaluated in 150 pregnant women at high risk to develop fetal growth restriction randomly selected from those included in the improving mothers for better prenatal care trial Barcelona (IMPACT BCN). The FFQ and dietary records were performed at baseline and 34–36 weeks of gestation. Test–retest reliability of the FFQ for 12 food groups and 17 nutrients was moderate (ICC = 0.55) and good (ICC = 0.60), respectively. Concurrent validity between food, nutrients and a composite Mediterranean diet score (MedDiet score) and food records was fair for foods and nutrients (ρ average = 0.38 and 0.32, respectively) and moderate (r = 0.46) for the MedDiet score. Validation with biological markers ranged from poor (r = 0.07) for olives to moderate (r = 0.41) for nuts. A fair concordance between methods were found for nutrients (weighted κ = 0.22) and foods (weighted κ = 0.27). The FFQ-derived MedDiet score correlated in anticipated directions with intakes of nutrients and foods derived by food records. The FFQ showed a moderate test–retest reliability and reasonable validity to rank women according to their food and nutrient consumption and adherence to the Mediterranean diet.     

Reproducibility of the German and Slovakian Versions of the Dietary Habits and Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire (KomPAN)

Purpose. The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility and reliability of the KomPAN questionnaire among two groups of university students from Germany and Slovakia. Methods. A total of 422 individuals (mean age 21.4 years, SD 4.0), including 197 from Slovakia (men 26.2%) and 225 from Germany (men 22.3%), were tested using the self-administered (SA-Q) version of the KomPAN questionnaire and then retested two weeks later. A cross-classification analysis, kappa coefficients, Cronbach’s ɑ coefficients, and a test-retest result comparison were conducted separately for each group of students to assess the reproducibility and reliability of the questionnaire. Results. The cross-classification values were higher than 46.2% among the German students and higher than 55.8% among the Slovakian students. The kappa coefficients ranged from 0.21 to 0.90 in the German students and from 0.38 to 0.94 in the Slovakian students. Cronbach’s ɑ ranged from 0.58 to 0.78. Conclusion. The questionnaire displayed a moderate to very good reproducibility, which was slightly higher in the Slovakian group than in the German group. Therefore, the questionnaire can be recommended for further analysis and comparison of the dietary habits among Germans and Slovakians on a larger scale.     

The Comparative Validity and Reproducibility of a Diet Quality Index for Adults: The Australian Recommended Food Score

Adult diet quality indices are shown to predict nutritional adequacy of dietary intake as well as all-cause morbidity and mortality. This study describes the reproducibility and validity of a food-based diet quality index, the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS). ARFS was developed to reflect alignment with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and is modelled on the US Recommended Food Score. Dietary intakes of 96 adult participants (31 male, 65 female) age 30 to 75 years were assessed in two rounds, five months apart. Diet was assessed using a 120-question semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The ARFS diet quality index was derived using a subset of 70 items from the full FFQ. Reproducibility of the ARFS between round one and round two was confirmed by the overall intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.87 (95% CI 0.83, 0.90), which compared favourably to that for the FFQ at 0.85 (95% CI 0.80, 0.89). ARFS was correlated with FFQ nutrient intakes, particularly fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin C (0.53, 95% CI 0.37–0.67), and with mineral intakes, particularly calcium, magnesium and potassium (0.32, 95% CI 0.23–0.40). ARFS is a suitable brief tool to evaluate diet quality in adults and reliably estimates a range of nutrient intakes.     

Dietary Patterns in Pregnancy and Effects on Nutrient Intake in the Mid-South: The Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) Study

Dietary patterns are sensitive to differences across socio-economic strata or cultural habits and may impact programing of diseases in later life. The purpose of this study was to identify distinct dietary patterns during pregnancy in the Mid-South using factor analysis. Furthermore, we aimed to analyze the differences in the food groups and in macro- and micronutrients among the different food patterns. The study was a cross-sectional analysis of 1155 pregnant women (mean age 26.5 ± 5.4 years; 62% African American, 35% Caucasian, 3% Other; and pre-pregnancy BMI 27.6 ± 7.5 kg/m²). Using food frequency questionnaire data collected from participants in the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) study between 16 and 28 weeks of gestation, dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis. Three major dietary patterns, namely, Healthy, Processed, and US Southern were identified among pregnant women from the Mid-South. Further analysis of the three main patterns revealed four mixed dietary patterns, i.e., Healthy-Processed, Healthy-US Southern, Processed-US Southern, and overall Mixed. These dietary patterns were different (p < 0.001) from each other in almost all the food items, macro- and micro nutrients and aligned across socioeconomic and racial groups. Our study describes unique dietary patterns in the Mid-South, consumed by a cohort of women enrolled in a prospective study examining the association of maternal nutritional factors during pregnancy that are known to affect brain and cognitive development by age 3.     

食物频率法评估贫血学生膳食铁摄入量的相对效度研究

目的以称重记录法结合24小时回顾法为参考方法,评估食物频率法应用于调查贫血学生膳食铁摄入量及其相关营养素和食物摄入量的相对效度。方法分别应用称重记录法结合24小时回顾法和食物频率法对156名10～14岁在校贫血学生进行膳食调查,计算平均每日膳食铁、血红素铁、非血红素铁、抗坏血酸、畜肉/禽肉/鱼肉和蛋类摄入量,采用Wilcoxon配对秩和检验、Spearman秩相关分析、交叉归类分析、替代分类的真实值分析评估食物频率法的准确度。结果与参考方法相比,食物频率法高估了贫血学生膳食铁摄入量及其相关营养素和食物摄入量,与参考方法调查结果的相关性较低。交叉归类分析、替代分类的真实值分析结果显示,食物频率法不能很好的区分营养素摄入量的不同水平。结论食物频率法应用于调查贫困地区贫血学生的膳食铁及相关营养素摄入量水平的准确性较低。     

Evaluation of a Novel Single-administration Food Frequency Questionnaire for Assessing Seasonally Varied Dietary Patterns among Women in Rural Nepal

Novel dietary assessment methods are needed to study chronic disease risk in agrarian cultures where food availability is highly seasonal. In 16,320 rural Nepalese women, we tested a novel food frequency questionnaire, administered once, to assess past 7-day intake and usual frequency of intake throughout the year for year-round foods and when in season for seasonal foods. Spearman rank correlations between usual and past 7-day intakes were 0.12–0.85 and weighted kappa statistics, representing chance-corrected agreement, were 0.10–0.80, with better agreement for frequently consumed foods. The questionnaire performed well, but may require refinement for settings of extremely low dietary diversity.     

Relative Validity of MijnEetmeter: A Food Diary App for Self-Monitoring of Dietary Intake

This study aimed to evaluate the relative validity of intake of energy, nutrients and food groups assessed with MijnEetmeter food diary as compared to 24-h dietary recalls, and if this differed between experienced and new users. One hundred men and women aged 18–70 y participated, of whom 47 had prior experience with the tool. Participants kept MijnEetmeter on three days. Trained dietitians called them three times for a 24-h dietary recall interview, once recalling food consumption on the same day as the food recording in MijnEetmeter. Systematic differences and correlations were assessed, and Bland–Altman plots were created; both for 3-day mean intakes and for intakes on the same day. Relative to 24-h dietary recalls, MijnEetmeter underestimated consumption of drinks, added fat, cereal products, and potatoes. Relative underestimation was observed for energy intake (6%) and about half of the nutrients. Experienced MijnEetmeter users underestimated intake the least. For intake of energy and six key nutrients, correlations between 3-day mean intakes were above 0.7 except for sodium intake. In conclusion, MijnEetmeter moderately underestimates intakes of energy and some nutrients and food groups. To improve the self-monitoring of dietary intake, it is recommended that the users record food consumption for several days and that the apps probes for easily forgotten foods and drinks.