Validity and reproducibility of a computerised tool for assessing the iron, calcium and vitamin C intake of Belgian women.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relative validity of a newly developed iron intake assessment tool, designed specifically to assess iron, calcium and vitamin C intake.


METHODS
Estimates of iron, calcium and vitamin C intake from a computerised iron intake assessment tool compared with those from 11-day estimated dietary records.


METHODS
Region of Ghent (N= +/- 225,000), a city in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.


METHODS
In all, 50 women aged 18-39 y, participating in a large-scale epidemiological study on iron intake and iron status.


RESULTS
Mean dietary iron intake from the 11-day food record, the unadjusted dietary iron intake assessment tool and the adjusted tool was, respectively, 10.5 +/- 2.7, 10.4 +/- 4.3 and 9.6 +/- 2.9 mg. For the different nutrients, the correlation coefficients vary from 0.45 to 0.60 for adjusted intake. The mean difference of iron intake by the two methods (0.8 +/- 2.9 mg) did not differ significantly from zero. The new method correctly classified 38% (iron), 38% (calcium) and 58% (vitamin C) of the subjects to the correct tertile. The correlation coefficients ranged from 0.48 for adjusted vitamin C intake to 0.73 for adjusted calcium intake between two administrations.


CONCLUSIONS
The newly developed instrument can be used to assess mean group intakes of iron, calcium and vitamin C in women consuming a Western diet. However, since the ranking capability of the new tool is rather weak, further refinement of the tool is required to produce a robust method for assessing iron, calcium and vitamin C intakes of individuals.


BACKGROUND
This research was supported by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research/Flemish Division (Fund No G.0152.01).
Matthys
C
C
Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. christophe.matthys@UGent.be
Pynaert
I
I
Roe
M
M
Fairweather-Tait
S J
SJ
Heath
A-L M
AL
De Henauw
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001530:Belgium; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003201:Computers; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D001205:Ascorbic Acid