Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0.001 Render date: 2024-05-16T10:12:13.146Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Validation of a new food frequency questionnaire for measurement of dietary n-3 long chain fatty acids using the method of Triads

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2012

J. Lanigan ,
S. Low ,
M. Kokoreli ,
K. Northstone  and
A Singhal
J. Lanigan
Affiliation:
Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, University College London Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH
S. Low
Affiliation:
Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, University College London Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH
K. Northstone
Affiliation:
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK
A Singhal
Affiliation:
Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, University College London Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Type
Abstract
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 71 , Issue OCE2: Summer Meeting hosted by the Irish Section, 16–19 July 2012, Translational nutrition: integrating research, practice and policy , 2012 , E193
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2012

Long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA: 22:6 n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA: 20:5 n-3), present in high concentrations in certain types of fish, are reported to have benefits for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, currently there is no validated instrument to measure dietary n-3 LCPUFA in the UK. A generalised food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), such as that used in the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC)( Reference Bingham, Welch, McTaggart, Mulligan, Runswick and Luben 1 ), may estimate intake inaccurately because foods high in n-3 LCPUFA are grouped together. The aim of this study was to assess whether a new FFQ which separated foods high in n-3 LCPUFA was a valid and reliable method for assessing n-3 intake in a group of young, healthy UK adults.

Participants (n=78) in a randomised controlled trial investigating the effects of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation on CVD risk factors completed a new questionnaire (FishFQ), adapted from the EPIC FFQ, designed to collect dietary data on foods with the highest concentration of n-3 LCPUFA. The FishFQ comprised 31 food items and allowed separation of fish into white and oily, and discriminated between canned and fresh fish. The questionnaire was self administered after instructions were given by trained researchers.

Relative validity of the FishFQ was assessed using the method of triads which uses triangular comparisons between a dietary assessment method under test (FishFQ), a reference method (multiple 24 hour dietary recalls) and a biochemical marker (red cell membrane fatty acids) to compute validity coefficients (VCs)( Reference Ocke and Kaaks 2 ). Reliability was evaluated with Pearson's correlation coefficient at 4 month re-test interval.

VCs were similar for dietary assessment methods and biomarkers of n-3 LCPUFA intake. Both dietary assessment methods found higher VCs for DHA whereas for the biomarker a higher VC was found for EPA. Reliability was high for both fatty acids: r 74 and r 55 for DHA and EPA respectively.

† The lower limit for the FishFQ and the biomarker is the correlation between the Fish FQ and the biomarker, and the lower limit for the 24-HR is the correlation between the biomarker and the 24-HR. The upper limit is calculated by the method of triads. pQT, validity coefficient of the FishFQ, pRT, validity coefficient of the 24-H recall, pMT, validity coefficient of the biomarker. All data natural log transformed. 5% confidence intervals computed from 200 Bootstrap samples.

Validity was comparable to findings from other studies which report VC's in the range of 0.22–0.60 for fatty acids. Reliability was also high compared with previous studies involving FFQ's. Overall VC's for the FishFQ were high suggesting it is a valid method for dietary assessment of n-3 LCPUFA.

References

1. Bingham, SA, Welch, AA, McTaggart, A, Mulligan, AA, Runswick, SA, Luben, R et al. (2001) Nutritional methods in the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer in Norfolk. Public Health Nutr 4(3): 847–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Ocke, MC & Kaaks, RJ (1997) Biochemical markers as additional measurements in dietary validity studies: application of the method of triads with examples from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr 65(4 Suppl): 1240S–5S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Figure 0

†