A simple tool for diet evaluation in primary health care: validation of a 16-item food intake questionnaire

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2014-03, Vol.11 (3), p.2683-2697
• Main Authors: Hemiö, Katri, Pölönen, Auli, Ahonen, Kirsti, Kosola, Mikko, Viitasalo, Katriina, Lindström, Jaana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Diet Records; Eating; Female; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Primary care; Primary Health Care; Questionnaires; Surveys and Questionnaires; Validation studies
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110302683

Our aim was to validate a 16-item food intake questionnaire (16-FIQ) and create an easy to use method to estimate patients' nutrient intake in primary health care. Participants (52 men, 25 women) completed a 7-day food record and a 16-FIQ. Food and nutrient intakes were calculated and compared using Spearman correlation. Further, nutrient intakes were compared using kappa-statistics and exact and opposite agreement of intake tertiles. The results indicated that the 16-FIQ reliably categorized individuals according to their nutrient intakes. Methods to estimate nutrient intake based on the answers given in 16-FIQ were created. In linear regression models nutrient intake estimates from the food records were used as the dependent variables and sum variables derived from the 16-FIQ were used as the independent variables. Valid regression models were created for the energy proportion of fat, saturated fat, and sucrose and the amount of fibre (g), vitamin C (mg), iron (mg), and vitamin D (μg) intake. The 16-FIQ is a valid method for estimating nutrient intakes in group level. In addition, the 16-FIQ could be a useful tool to facilitate identification of people in need of dietary counselling and to monitor the effect of counselling in primary health care.