Relative validity and reliability of a food frequency questionnaire for a triethnic population of 1-year-old to 3-year-old children from low-income families.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for low-income, 1- to 3-year-old Hispanic, African-American, and white children.


METHODS
A convenience sample of low-income mothers provided dietary data for their child via FFQs and 3-day diet records.


METHODS
Participants (N=77) were recruited from Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinics and public health clinics. All subjects were Hispanic, African-American, or white mothers of children 1 to 3 years old, 18 years of age or older, income less than 200% of the federal poverty level, and were literate in English. Statistical analyses performed Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests were used for comparisons of food group servings on time 1 and time 2 FFQs and to examine differences in food group servings between the FFQ and diet records. Spearman correlations were calculated to assess test-retest reliability and the relative validity. Contingency tables were used to determine the degree of association between the FFQ and diet records.


RESULTS
Reliability correlations were significant for all nine food categories ( =0.69), ranging from 0.53 (soups) to 0.84 (nonstarchy vegetables). Validity correlations were significant for all food groups ( =0.41) except starchy vegetables. Thirty-six percent of children were classified into the same quartile of food group intake and 78% into the same or within one quartile.


CONCLUSIONS
The FFQ yielded excellent reliability and acceptable validity and can be used to assess food choices in a triethnic sample of low-income 1- to 3-year-old children.
Klohe
Deborah M
DM
Division of Nutrutional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Clarke
Kristine K
KK
George
Goldy Chacko
GC
Milani
Tracey J
TJ
Hanss-Nuss
Henry
H
Freeland-Graves
Jeanne
J
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D011203:Poverty; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015206:Southwestern United States; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*