Desenho de um questionário de frequência alimentar digital autoaplicado para avaliar o consumo alimentar de adolescentes e adultos jovens: coortes de nascimentos de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Purpose: Methodological paper aiming to describe the development of a digital and self-reported food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), created to the 1982 and 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohorts. Methods: The instrument was created based on FFQs previously applied to subjects belonging to both cohorts in the 2004 and 2008 follow-ups. The FFQ was developed including 88 foods and/or meals where frequencies were clustered from a minimum of never or once/month to a maximum of greater than or equal to 5 times/day. The closed options related to portions were based on a 24-hour recall previously asked to a subsample from the 1993 cohort. Three options for portions were created: equal to, less than or greater than. Equal to portion was described based on the 50 percentile of each food consumed reported in a 24-hour recall. Photographs of portions related to the 50 percentile for each food were also included in the software. Results: This digital FFQ included food and meals based on the needs of current researches. The layout of the software was attractive to the staff members as well as to the cohort members. The responding time was 12 minutes and the software allowed several individuals to use it at the same time. Moreover, this instrument dismissed interviewers and double data entry. Conclusion: It is recommended the use of the same strategy in other studies, adapted to different contexts and situations.

Relative validity of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for Singaporean toddlers aged 15–36 months

“…In this instance, a subsample of participants (dependant on study budget) should be interviewed for quality control purposes. Digitalisation of the sqFFQ may also be an option, so that participants can access the questionnaire via an application on their smartphones or computer [50,51]. This will provide the participant with a more interesting and interactive experience.…”

“…Unusual responses cannot be eliminated and could potentially increase. How food portions are scaled could also be misleading [51]. The technology may not be accessible in all communities.…”

Association between the Degree of Processing of Consumed Foods and Sleep Quality in Adolescents

“…Food information was obtained through a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and investigated for the last 12 months before the interview. This instrument was developed by Schneider et al [14] and was adapted to the food intake of adolescents from São Luís, Maranhão. The FFQ had 106 food items, and the usual average frequency of consumption of the listed foods was obtained with the daily, weekly, or monthly consumption time unit.…”

Milk consumption, dietary calcium intake and nutrient patterns from adolescence to early adulthood and its effect on bone mass: the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort

“…A semi-qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) 37 , administered through an electronic platform, assessed dietary consumption at 18 and 22 years. The FFQ comprised 88 food items and eight frequency options were given: (i) never or fewer than once per month; (ii) one to three times per month; (iii) once per week; (iv) two to four times per week; (v) five to six times per week; (vi) once per day; (vii) two to four times per day; and (viii) five or more times per day.…”

“…Nevertheless, the acquisition of dietary data was performed under the supervision of a team previously trained to clarify doubts in the digital platform. This led to quick data entry, which facilitated the consistency of the analyses, eliminated the need for double data entry, and shortened the time needed for data collection 37 . Another limitation is the fact that we did not have the measure of serum vitamin D, which is essential for the intestinal absorption of calcium, through the active transport of this nutrient from the lumen of the duodenum to the blood, thus guaranteeing its availability in the body 71 .…”