. (2011). Validation of an Australian electronic food frequency questionnaire to measure polyunsaturated fatty acid intake. Nutrition, 27 (6), 641-646. Validation of an Australian electronic food frequency questionnaire to measure polyunsaturated fatty acid intake AbstractObjective: To develop and validate a simple non-invasive method that estimates the intakes of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in a healthy adult population.Methods: A new electronic PUFA food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was validated by comparison with a 3-d weighed food record and blood biomarkers (erythrocytes and plasma) using the method of triads model and tested for reproducibility. Healthy subjects were recruited from the local Illawarra Region, New South Wales, Australia.Results: The PUFA FFQ adequately estimated intakes for eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, total long chain omega-3 PUFA, linoleic acid, total omega-6 PUFA, and total PUFA, which were comparable with results from the 3-d food record. Eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and total long chain omega-3 showed high validity coefficients for erythrocytes (and plasma) 0.92 (0.87), 0.69 (0.64), and 0.78 (0.73) (P < 0.05), respectively. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients ranged from 0.48 to 0.76 when the PUFA FFQ was tested for reproducibility (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The electronic PUFA questionnaire was found to be reproducible and is a valid tool to assess PUFA intakes in a healthy adult population. Research Methods & Procedures:A new electronic PUFA food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was validated by comparison with a 3-day weighed food record (FR) and blood biomarkers (erythrocytes and plasma) using the method of triads model and tested for reproducibility. Healthy subjects were recruited from the local Illawarra Region, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Results:The PUFA FFQ adequately estimated intakes for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), total long chain (LC) omega-3 PUFA, linoleic acid (LA), total omega-6 PUFA, and total PUFA which were comparable with results from the 3-day FR. EPA, DHA and total LC omega-3 showed high validity coefficients for erythrocytes (and plasma) 0.92 (0.87), 0.69 (0.64) and 0.78 (0.73) P < 0.05 respectively. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients ranged from 0.48 to 0.76 when the PUFA FFQ was tested for reproducibility (P < 0.05). Conclusion:The electronic PUFA questionnaire was found to be reproducible and is a valid tool to assess PUFA intakes in a healthy adult population.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including the long-chain (LC) ω-3 PUFAs, are important for health. The aim was to assess if the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria Dietary Questionnaire (ACC DQ) accurately determines PUFA intakes compared with the recently validated electronic PUFA food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Forty-one study volunteers were recruited from the local Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The method of triads was used to determine validity coefficients by comparing the ACC DQ intakes against a 3-d weighed food record and appropriate blood biomarkers (erythrocytes and plasma fatty acids). These validity coefficients were subsequently compared with previously published validity coefficients from the PUFA FFQ. Using erythrocytes as the biomarker, the electronic PUFA FFQ had much higher validity coefficients compared with the ACC DQ for eicosapentaenoic acid (0.92 versus 0.19), docosahexaenoic acid (0.69 versus 0.26), and total LC ω-3 PUFAs (0.78 versus 0.23), respectively, whereas ω-6 PUFAs were comparable. Using plasma as the biomarker, the electronic PUFA FFQ had much higher validity coefficients compared with the ACC DQ for α-linolenic acid (0.96 versus 0.49), eicosapentaenoic acid (0.87 versus 0.19), docosahexaenoic acid (0.64 versus 0.24), and total LC ω-3 PUFAs (0.73 versus 0.21), respectively, whereas ω-6 PUFAs were comparable. The validated electronic PUFA FFQ is better suited to determine ω-3 PUFA intakes than the ACC DQ.