Development and testing of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire for use in Gujarat, India.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and test a quantitative, interviewer-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to ascertain nutrient intakes of individuals in northern India.


METHODS
A 92-item FFQ was developed based on food use and market surveys of the study area. A validation study was conducted consisting of 24-h diet recalls (24HR) administered on 6 randomly selected days over 1 year. Two FFQs were administered, one each at the beginning and end of the 1-year period. FFQ and 24HR-derived nutrient scores were compared using correlation and regression analyses and by computing differences between nutrient intakes estimated by the two methods.


METHODS
Rural villages in Bhavnagar District, Gujarat, North India.


METHODS
60 individuals who agreed to provide all necessary data.


RESULTS
Pearson (parametric) correlation coefficients averaged 0.69 in comparing nutrient scores derived from the 24HR with those from the first FFQ and 0.72 in comparing the second FFQ (P<0.0001). Spearman correlation coefficients were virtually identical to the Pearson correlations, averaging 0.68 and 0.72, respectively. In regression analyses, most coefficients were close to 1.0 (perfect linear association). Nutrient scores were significantly and consistently higher on both FFQs relative to the 24HR.


CONCLUSIONS
This FFQ produces results broadly comparable, and superior in some respects, to those commonly used in the West. Higher than average measures of association indicate its suitability for comparing exposures within this study population in reference to health-related endpoints.
Hebert
J R
JR
Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01655, USA. James.Herbert@ummed.edu
Gupta
P C
PC
Bhonsle
R B
RB
Sinor
P N
PN
Mehta
H
H
Mehta
F S
FS
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009753:Nutritive Value; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors