title: Modest validity and fair reproducibility of dietary patterns derived by cluster analysis.
abstract: Cluster analysis is widely used to analyze dietary patterns. We aimed to analyze the validity and reproducibility of the dietary patterns defined by cluster analysis derived from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). We hypothesized that the dietary patterns derived by cluster analysis have fair to modest reproducibility and validity. Dietary data were collected from 107 individuals from population-based survey, by an FFQ at baseline (FFQ1) and after 1 year (FFQ2), and by twelve 24-hour dietary recalls (24-HDR). Repeatability and validity were measured by comparing clusters obtained by the FFQ1 and FFQ2 and by the FFQ2 and 24-HDR (reference method), respectively. Cluster analysis identified a "fruits & vegetables" and a "meat" pattern in each dietary data source. Cluster membership was concordant for 66.7% of participants in FFQ1 and FFQ2 (reproducibility), and for 67.0% in FFQ2 and 24-HDR (validity). Spearman correlation analysis showed reasonable reproducibility, especially in the "fruits & vegetables" pattern, and lower validity also especially in the "fruits & vegetables" pattern. κ statistic revealed a fair validity and reproducibility of clusters. Our findings indicate a reasonable reproducibility and fair to modest validity of dietary patterns derived by cluster analysis.
authors: Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group (CARIN-ULEC), Program of Research in Epidemiology and Public Health, IMIM (Institut de Recerca Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Food and Nutrition PhD program, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Anna N
authors: AN
authors: Funtikova
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Mexico State, Toluca, Mexico.
authors: Alejandra A
authors: AA
authors: Benítez-Arciniega
authors: Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group (CARIN-ULEC), Program of Research in Epidemiology and Public Health, IMIM (Institut de Recerca Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III Spain.
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Fitó
authors: Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group (CARIN-ULEC), Program of Research in Epidemiology and Public Health, IMIM (Institut de Recerca Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain. Electronic address: hschroeder@imim.es.
authors: Helmut
authors: H
authors: Schröder
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004034:Diet Surveys / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: A posteriori dietary patterns; Cluster analysis; Food frequency questionnaire; Repeatability; Reproducibility; Validation