Introduction. In their work towards chronic disease prevention, public health practitioners need valid tools to survey trends in dietary intake. Currently the Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System includes an optional six-item vegetable and fruit intake food frequency questionnaire (FFQ module. Our objectives are (1) to evaluate the potential for the frequency or occasions of consumption from the FFQ to stand as a reasonable proxy for quantified servings collected through a reference method and, (2) to compare each method's assessment of the proportion of the sample averaging five or more occasions or servings of vegetables and fruit per day. Methods. Dietitians administered the reference method, three 24-hour recalls, to each of 174 adult respondents who had completed the FFQ as part of the Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System. Recalls were conducted over the phone using an adaptation of the Multiple Pass Method. Tools were mailed to respondents to aid with portion estimation. Results. The average of total vegetable and fruit intake for the group was 4.8 servings/day from the recalls and not significantly different from the 4.6 occasions/day from the FFQ. Thirty five percent of respondents were classified as consuming five or more servings/day by the recall method and 37% were classified as consuming vegetables and fruit five or more occasions/day by the FFQ. Discussion. Results indicate this brief questionnaire can be used as a proxy for quantified intake. The classification of those consuming five or more servings/day by each method appeared close. Conclusion. Given the limited funding available for nutrition promotion, surveying trends using this type of food frequency questionnaire can contribute to decisions regarding the distribution of funds for program planning.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.80888 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Traynor, Marie |
| Contributors | Gray-Donald, K. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002101820, proquestno: AAIMQ98753, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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