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Development and validation of a food-frequency questionnaire for the determination of detailed fatty acid intakes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Marie M Cantwell ,
Michael J Gibney ,
Denis Cronin ,
Kate M Younger ,
John P O'Neill ,
Linda Hogan  and
Mary AT Flynn
Marie M Cantwell
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology, Republic ofIreland Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Republic ofIreland
Michael J Gibney
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Republic ofIreland
Denis Cronin
Affiliation:
University College Dublin, Republic ofIreland
Kate M Younger
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology, Republic ofIreland
John P O'Neill
Affiliation:
University College Dublin, Republic ofIreland
Linda Hogan
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology, Republic ofIreland
Mary AT Flynn*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology, Republic ofIreland Nutrition and Active Living, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Calgary Health Region, PO Box 4016, Station C, 5th Floor, Centre 15, 1509 Centre Street SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2T 5T1
*
*Corresponding author: Email maryflynn@iol.ie
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Abstract

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Objective

To validate a fat intake questionnaire (FIQ) developed to assess habitual dietary intake while focusing on the assessment of detailed fatty acid intake including total trans unsaturated fatty acids (TUFA).

Design

An 88 food item/food group FIQ was developed using a meal pattern technique. Validation was achieved by comparison with dietary intake assessed by a modified diet history (DH) in a cross-over design. Eighty-four individuals supplied adipose tissue biopsies for linoleic acid and total TUFA analysis as an independent validation of the FIQ and DH.

Setting

Medical Centre, Dublin Airport, Republic of Ireland.

Subjects

One hundred and five healthy volunteers (43 females and 62 males aged 23–63 years).

Results

Significant correlations (P < 0.0005) were achieved for intakes of energy (0.78), total fat (0.77), saturated fat (0.77), monounsaturated fat (0.63), polyunsaturated fat (0.73), TUFA (0.67) and linoleic acid (0.71) assessed by the FIQ compared with the DH. Linoleic acid intake assessed by the FIQ and the DH was significantly correlated with adipose tissue concentrations (r = 0.58 and 0.49, respectively; P<0.005); however, total TUFA intake was poorly correlated with adipose tissue concentrations (r = 0.17 and 0.10 for FIQ and DH, respectively).

Conclusions

The FIQ compared favourably with the DH in assessing habitual diet, in particular fatty acid intake. In addition, the FIQ was successfully validated against the linoleic acid composition of adipose tissue, an independent biomarker of relative fatty acid status. The FIQ could therefore be used as an alternative to the DH as it is a shorter, less labour-intensive method.

Keywords

ValidationFatty acidsTrans unsaturated fatty acidsNutrient databaseAdipose tissue biopsiesLinoleic acid
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , February 2005 , pp. 97 - 107
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2005

Footnotes

†

Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.

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