title: Validation and reproducibility of a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire for use in elderly Swiss women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The principal aim of this study was to develop a Swiss Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) for the elderly population for use in a study to investigate the influence of nutritional factors on bone health. The secondary aim was to assess its validity and both short-term and long-term reproducibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 4-day weighed record (4 d WR) was applied to 51 randomly selected women of a mean age of 80.3 years. Subsequently, a detailed FFQ was developed, cross-validated against a further 44 4-d WR, and the short- (1 month, n = 15) and long-term (12 months, n = 14) reproducibility examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  French speaking part of Switzerland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were randomly selected women recruited from the Swiss Evaluation of the Methods of Measurement of Osteoporotic Fracture cohort study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean energy intakes by 4-d WR and FFQ showed no significant difference [1564.9 kcal (SD 351.1); 1641.3 kcal (SD 523.2) respectively]. Mean crude nutrient intakes were also similar (with nonsignifcant P-values examining the differences in intake) and ranged from 0.13 (potassium) to 0.48 (magnesium). Similar results were found in the reproducibility studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide evidence that this FFQ adequately estimates nutrient intakes and can be used to rank individuals within distributions of intake in specific populations.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Clinic, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. emma.wynn@chuv.ch
authors.forename: E Wynn
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Dumartheray
authors.forename: M-A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornuz
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Whittamore
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Lovell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burckhardt
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lanham-New
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002136:Calcium, Dietary