Development And Application Of Sodium Food Frequency Questionnaire For College Students

Objective: This study aimed to develop a food frequency questionnaire targeted at sodium intake for college students(Sodium-FFQ)and assess its validity to provide a helpful tool for further research regarding salt reduction.Methods:(1)The baseline dietary survey was conducted on 151 college students by 24 h dietary recall and food frequency methods.The food list of Sodium-FFQ was developed by combining the foods selected from the nutritional analyses,high sodium processed food,regional food in Hunan Province,and those rich in potassium.(2)There were 102 volunteers being enrolled in Stage 2.Dietary records of three days(3×24h)and 24-hour urinary samples of volunteers were collected.Reproducibility of sodium intake was assessed two weeks later,and reliability was assessed by comparing the results of Sodium-FFQ with 3×24h dietary records and24 h urinary sodium value via Pearson correlation coefficient,Spearman’s correlation coefficient,and partial correlation coefficient.Kappa coefficient was used to evaluate the consistency of Sodium-FFQ with other methods.(3)Validated Sodium-FFQ was preliminarily used to explore the dietary sodium intake and primary sources among 603 college students.Results :(1)This Sodium-FFQ targeted college students consisting of11 groups of foods with 48 items.(2)(1)The results of correlation analyses showed that Spearman’s correlation coefficient of test-retest on sodium intake was 0.654(P < 0.05).The Spearman’s correlation coefficient between FFQ’s sodium intake and3×24h dietary record was 0.393(P < 0.05),and that of FFQ’s sodium intake and 24 h urine sodium was 0.342(P < 0.05).The partial correlation coefficient between 24 h urinary sodium value and Sodium-FFQ was 0.386(P < 0.05,the coefficient was adjusted by 24 h urinary creatinine and potassium excretion).(2)The agreement rate of classification between Sodium-FFQ and 24 h urinary sodium was 68.4%,and the Kappa coefficient was 0.371(P < 0.001).(3)The threshold of the Sodium-FFQ was 1078.89 mg/d,dividing the subjects into two groups.(3)Without consideration of salt and high-sodium seasonings during cooking,college students’ median dietary sodium intake was 1183.74 mg/d(552.54,2030.90)mg/d.According to Sodium-FFQ,52.1% of students had an excessive dietary sodium intake.College students’ primary source of dietary sodium was fast food,which accounts for 24.9% of the sodium intake measured by Sodium-FFQ,followed by staple food(accounts for19.5%)and snacks(accounts for 17.6%).Conclusion: The Sodium-FFQ developed in this study includes 48 items from 11 food categories.The reproducibility and reliability of Sodium-FFQ were moderate,and the agreement between Sodium-FFQ and the 3×24h dietary recording method was good.The FFQ threshold for an excessive sodium intake was 1078.89 mg/d.The college students’ median dietary sodium intake was 1183.74 mg/d(552.54,2030.90)mg/d,and 52.1%had an excessive intake.College students’ primary dietary sodium sources were fast food,staple food,and snacks.