Comparative validation of standard, picture-sort and meal-based food-frequency questionnaires adapted for an elderly population of low socio-economic status

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 524 - 532
• Main Authors: Quandt, Sara A, Vitolins, Mara Z, Smith, Shannon L, Tooze, Janet A, Bell, Ronny A, Davis, Cralen C, DeVellis, Robert F, Arcury, Thomas A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-05-2007
• Subjects: Adults; African Americans; Aged; American Indians; Assessments; Cancer; Completeness; Correlation; Data collection; Diet; Diet Surveys; Dietary intake; Dietary methodology; Economics; Education; Educational attainment; elderly; elderly nutrition; energy intake; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Food; food frequency questionnaires; Food intake; Food-frequency questionnaire; Gender aspects; gender differences; Geriatric Assessment - methods; Humans; image analysis; Indians, North American; Interviews; Interviews as Topic; Literacy; Low income groups; low income households; Male; Meal pattern; meals (menu); Medicaid; men; Mental Recall; Minority & ethnic groups; Native Americans; North Carolina; nutrient intake; Nutrients; Nutrition; Nutrition Assessment; Nutrition research; Older people; Poverty; Public health; Questionnaires; Rural areas; rural health; Rural Population; Rural USA; Sex differences; Social Class; Socioeconomic Factors; socioeconomic status; Socioeconomics; Statistical analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards; validity; Whites; women; Womens health; North Carolina; United States; Food-frequency questionnaire; African Americans; Aged; Dietary methodology; Native Americans; Rural USA
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980007246713

To compare the validity of a modified Block food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ), a picture-sort administration of the FFQ (PSFFQ) and a meal pattern-based questionnaire (MPQ) in a multi-ethnic population of low socio-economic status (SES).
Participants completed six 24-hour dietary recalls (24HR) over six months; the FFQ, PSFFQ and MPQ were completed in random order in the subsequent month. Instruments were interviewer-administered. The PSFFQ and MPQ were developed in formative research concerning difficulties for older adults in responding to standard food-frequency instruments.
Rural North Carolina, USA. Subjects One hundred and twenty-two African American, Native American and white adults aged > or = 65 years, with approximately one-third in each ethnic group. Inclusion criteria included education < or = 12 years and income < or = 150% of national poverty level or Medicaid recipient.
Comparing median intakes from the average of the 24HR with the three diet assessment instruments, the MPQ tended to overestimate intakes compared with the FFQ and PSFFQ. Correlations among nutrients obtained by the 24HR and the other three instruments were generally statistically significant and positive. Across nutrients, the PSFFQ was most highly correlated with the 24HR for women, while the FFQ was most highly correlated with the 24HR for men.
Dietary assessments using 24HR and FFQ were similar to results reported elsewhere, although correlations between 24HR and FFQ were somewhat lower. Interviewer-administered dietary assessments should be used with caution to evaluate dietary intake among older adults with low SES. Gender differences and the lower correlations should be investigated more thoroughly to assist in choosing dietary assessment instruments for this population.