Reproducibility-validity-application Of A College Students' Food Frequency Questionnaire

Objective To develop and evaluate a college students'food frequency questionnai- re and to understand the nutritional status of university students to provide a scientific basis for a reasonable diet. Methods The interviewer-administrated college students'food frequency questionnaire survey was completed twice at a 6-month interval. A 24-hour recall employed as a reference method was used to assess the relative validity. Pearson correlation coefficients and Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated between estimates of nutrients and food group intake assessed by FFQ and 24-hour recalls. A self-administered food frequency questionnaire was used to investigated a cluster sample of 1400 students'diet of Wuhan Polytechnic University, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) and Hubei University of Technology. Results①Reproducibility correlations varied from 0.825 for riboflavin to 0.946 for vitamin E. Energy-adjustment correlations range from 0.693 for riboflavin to 0.825 for vitamin C. Spearman correlation coefficients between estimates of food group intake ranged from 0.750 for fowl to 0.949 for vegetables.②Validity correlations between the energy-unadjusted nutrients computed by the two methods ranged from 0.389 for protein to 0.717 for cholesterol, and the average correlation coefficients was 0.543. After energy-adjusted the range of correlation was from 0.327 for protein to 0.804 for cholesterol, with a mean value of 0.556.③The intakes of cereal, vegetables, meat, bean and bean product, eggs and oil of the whole three universities were adequate. And fruits, fish and shrimp and milk were less than food pyramid. The intakes of energy and nutrients of the whole three universities were adequate. The intakes of dietary fiber by boys and girls and riboflavin by boys of Wuhan Polytechnic University were less than the suggested values, respectively 78.7%, 79.7% and 78.6% of the RNI. The intakes of dietary fiber by boys and girls of China University of geosciences were less than the suggested values, respectively 79.3% and 78.0% of the RNI. The percentage of energy provided by the three major nutrients was in normal range. High quality protein taken by boy students and girl students were abundant, respectively, 57.3% and 59.3%. There are significantly differences between boys of the three universities on vitamin C intake, girls on fat and vitamin E intake.Conclusion: The college students'food frequency questionnaire has high reproducibility and high validity. It might be an ideal dietary assessment instrument for college students. The intakes of cereal, vegetables and meat of the students were enough. Dietary energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc taken by the students were enough. The intakes of dietary fiber of the three universities were slightly lower. The students should eat more fruits, fish and shrimp, milk and coarse grains.