Abstract
Background
There are limited validated food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) for infants and toddlers,
most of which were evaluated in Europe or Oceania, and the ones available for use
in the United States have important limitations.
Objective
Our aim was to assess the validity of an FFQ developed for infants and toddlers.
Design
A semi-quantitative FFQ was developed that included 52 food items, their sources,
and portion sizes. The FFQ inquired about diets over the previous 7 days. Its validity
was assessed in a cross-sectional study. Participants completed the FFQ, followed
by a 24-hour recall on two occasions with 1 week between data collection.
Participants/setting
A total of 296 caregivers of infants and toddlers aged 0 to 24 months enrolled in
the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, Puerto
Rico.
Main outcome measures
Intake of nutrients and food groups were averaged for the two FFQs and the two 24-hour
food recalls, and adjusted for energy intake.
Statistical analyses performed
Spearman correlations were performed for intakes of energy, nutrients, and foods between
administrations and between instruments. Correlation coefficients were de-attenuated
to account for variation in the 24-hour recalls.
Results
A total of 241 participants completed the study. Intake of all nutrients and foods
were significantly correlated between FFQs and 24-hour recalls and between the means
of FFQs and 24-hour food recalls. The de-attenuated correlation for nutrients between
the FFQs and 24-hour recalls ranged from 0.26 (folate) to 0.77 (energy), with a mean
correlation of 0.53. The de-attenuated correlation for food groups between the FFQs
and 24-hour recalls ranged from 0.28 (sweets) to 0.80 (breast milk), with a mean correlation
of 0.55. When analyses were restricted to those consuming foods other than breast
milk or formula (n=186), results were similar.
Conclusions
This semi-quantitative FFQ is a tool that offers reasonably valid rankings for intake
of energy, nutrients, foods, and food groups in this sample of infants and toddlers.
Keywords
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Biography
C. Palacios is an associate professor, Nutrition Program, School of Public Health, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
Biography
O. Sinigaglia is a graduate student, Nutrition Program, School of Public Health, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
Biography
E. M. Ríos is a graduate student, Nutrition Program, School of Public Health, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
Biography
S. Rivas-Tumanyan is an assistant professor in epidemiology and assistant deanship of research, School of Dental Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
Biography
M. Campos is an associate professor, Center for Clinical Research and Health Promotion, School of Dental Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
Biography
B. Diaz is an assistant professor, Undergraduate Department, School of Nursing, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
Biography
E. J. Santiago-Rodríguez is a biostatistician, Retrovirus Research Center, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Biography
W. Willett is Fredrick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, and chair of the Department of Nutrition, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 07, 2017
Accepted:
December 14,
2016
Received:
July 22,
2016
Footnotes
Supplementary materials: The Figure and Tables 2, 3, and 6 are available at www.andjrnl.org
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
FUNDING/SUPPORT This study was conducted with support from University of Puerto Rico Central Administration Grant, Capacity Advancement in Research Infrastructure, UPR-MFP 6251123, and in part by awards 8G12MD007600 and 2U54MD007587 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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© 2017 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
