Food frequency questionnaire versus 7-day weighed dietary record information on dietary fibre and fat intake in middle-aged Swedish men

Abstract

To study the magnitude of agreement between a short self-administered food frequency questionnaire and a 7-day weighed dietary record regarding the consumption of fibre and fat, we collected information from 92 randomly selected middle-aged Swedish men. The participants first recorded all foods and drinks consumed over seven consecutive days by means of a digital scale. One month after the 7-day weighed record had been completed, a self-administered food frequency questionnaire on habitual consumption of foods containing fibre or fat during the preceding month was sent to the subjects. The 20 largest contributors of fibre and fat in the diet accounted for 71% and 52% of the total intake, respectively, based on the 7-day weighed record. The estimated mean consumption of fibre was 19.0 grams per day based on the 7-day weighed record and 18.3 grams per day based on the food frequency questionnaire. Corresponding estimated mean consumption of fat was 88.6 grams per day versus 46.9 grams per day. Men with high physical activity and low BMI, respectively, had higher intake of fibre and fat. These differences were seen for both dietary measurement methods but were more marked using the 7-day weighed record. The agreement between methods for each individual was also assessed. Based on five categories of fibre consumption, 61% of the respondents in the highest quintile according to the 7-day weighed record were classified in one of the two highest quintiles according to the food frequency questionnaire. The corresponding figure for fat intake was 56%. We conclude that the short self-administered food frequency questionnaire used in the present study can assess the absolute intake of fibre, but not of fat, with good precision. Also, the ranking of indiviudals in broad categories of consumption of fibre and fat was not largely misclassified based on this short questionnaire.

Keywords

dietary assessment epidemiologic methods evaluation food nutrition surveys questionnaires.

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