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Background: Dietary assessment methods have limitations in capturing real-time eating behaviour accurately. Equipped with automated dietary-data-collection capabilities, the "intelligent ordering system" (IOS) has potential applicability in obtaining long-term consecutive, relatively detailed on-campus dietary records among university students with little resource consumption. We investigated (1) the relative validity of IOS-derived nutrient/food intakes compared to those from the 7-day food diary (7DFD); (2) whether including a supplemental food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) improves IOS accuracy; and (3) sex differences in IOS dietary intake estimation. Methods: Medical students (n = 221; age = 22.2 ± 2.4 years; 38.5% male and 61.5% female) completed the 7DFD and SFFQ. During the consecutive 7-day survey period, students weighed and photographed each meal before and after consumption. Then, students reviewed their 3-month diet and completed the SFFQ, which includes eight underprovided school-canteen food items (e.g., dairy, fruits, nuts). Meanwhile, 9385 IOS dietary data entries were collected. We used Spearman coefficients and linear regression models to estimate the associations among the different dietary intake assessment methods. Individual- and group-level agreement was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, cross-classification, and Bland‒Altman analysis. Results: IOS mean daily energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake estimations were significantly lower (-15-20%) than those of the 7DFD. The correlation coefficients varied from 0.52 (for added sugar) to 0.88 (for soybeans and nuts), with fruits (0.37) and dairy products (0.29) showing weaker correlations. Sixty-two (milk and dairy products) to 97% (soybeans and nuts) of participants were classified into the same or adjacent dietary intake distribution quartile using both methods. The energy and macronutrient intake differences between the IOS + SFFQ and 7DFD groups decreased substantially. The separate fruit intake measurements from each assessment method did not significantly differ from each other (p > 0.05). IOS and IOS + SFFQ regression models generally yielded higher R2 values for males than for females. Conclusion: Despite estimation differences, the IOS can be reliable for medical student dietary habit assessment. The SFFQ is useful for measuring consumption of foods that are typically unavailable in school cafeterias, improving the overall dietary evaluation accuracy. The IOS assessment was more accurate for males than for females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthy eating habits at a young age are crucial to support growth and development and good general health. In this context, monitoring youth dietary intakes adequately with valid tools is important to develop efficient interventions and identify groups that are more at risk of inadequate intakes. This study aimed to assess the relative validity of the self-administered web-based 24-h dietary recall (R24W) for evaluating energy and nutrient intakes among active adolescents. Methods: Participants were invited to complete one interviewer-administered 24-h dietary dietary recall and the R24W on up to three occasions within one month. A total of 272 French-speaking active adolescents aged 12 to 17 years from the province of Québec were invited to complete three R24W and one interview-administered 24-h recall. Student's t-test and correlations were conducted on sex-adjusted data. Percent differences, cross-classification (percentage of agreement), weighted Kappa and Bland-Altman plots were calculated. Results: Mean (SD) energy intake from the R24W was 8.8% higher than from the interview-administered 24-h dietary recall (2558 kcal ± 1128 vs. 2444 kcal ± 998, p < 0.05). Significant differences in mean nutrient intake between the R24W and the interview-administered 24-h dietary recall ranged from 6.5% for % E from fat (p < 0.05) to 25.2% for saturated fat (p < 0.001), i.e., higher values with R24W. Sex-adjusted correlations were significant for all nutrients except for % E from proteins and thiamin (range: 0.24 to 0.52, p < 0.01). Cross-classification demonstrated that 36.6% of the participants were classified in the same fourth with both methods, 39.6% in the adjacent fourth, and 5.7% misclassified. Bland-Atman plots revealed proportional bias between the two methods for 7/25 nutrients. Completing at least two recalls with the R24W increased the precision of intake estimates. Conclusion: These data suggest that the R24W presents an acceptable relative validity compared to a standard interview-administered 24-h recall for estimating energy and most nutrients in a cohort of French-speaking adolescents from the province of Québec. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The dietary nutritional status of pregnant women is critical for maintaining the health of both mothers and infants. Food exchange systems have been employed in the nutritional guidance of patients in China, although their application in the dietary guidance of healthy pregnant women is quite limited. This study aimed to develop a novel food exchange system for Chinese pregnant women (NFES-CPW) and evaluate the relative validation of its application. Methods: NFES-CPW covers approximately 500 types of food from ten categories and has more elaborate food portion sizes. It established a recommendation index for guiding food selection and used energy, water content, and protein as the exchange basis to balance the supply of energy and important nutrients throughout pregnancy. Furthermore, dietitians used the NFES-CPW and traditional food exchange system to generate new recipes based on the sample recipe. There were 40 derived recipes for each of the two food exchange methods. The food consumption, energy, and key nutrients of each recipe were calculated, and the differences between the two food exchange systems were compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test or the Chi-square test. Results: The results revealed that compared to those derived from traditional food exchange system, the NFES-CPW derived recipes had a better dietary structure, as evidenced by the intakes of whole-grain cereals, beans excluding soybeans, potatoes, fruits, fish, shrimp and shellfish, as well as eggs (P < 0.05), which were more conducive to reaching the recommended range of balanced dietary pagoda. After calculating energy and nutrients, although these two food exchange systems have similar effects on the dietary energy and macronutrient intake of pregnant women, the intake of micronutrients in NFES-CPW derived recipes was significantly higher than that from the traditional food exchange system, which was more conducive to meeting the dietary requirements of pregnant women. The outstanding improvement are primarily vitamin A, vitamin B2, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and iodine (P < 0.05). Moreover, when compared to recipes obtained from the traditional food exchange system, the error ranges of energy and most nutrients were significantly reduced after employing the NFES-CPW. Conclusions: Therefore, NFES-CPW is an appropriate tool that adheres to Chinese dietary characteristics and can provide suitable dietary guidance to pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The EAT-Lancet Commission proposed an evidence-based global reference diet to improve human health within planetary boundaries. Recently, the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) was developed based on the EAT-Lancet recommendations and validated among Brazilian adults. However, the relative validity of the PHDI in adolescents has yet to be assessed. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the relative validity of the PHDI in European adolescents. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 1804 adolescents (12.5–17.5 years) enrolled in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study. The PHDI (0–150 points) was calculated based on dietary intake data from two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Associations between the PHDI and usual nutrient intakes, plasma food consumption biomarkers, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were evaluated using multivariable-adjusted mixed-effects linear regression models. Results: Higher PHDI score was associated with greater intakes of nutrients predominantly from plant-source foods, such as vegetable protein, vitamin E, and folate and with lower intake of nutrients predominately from animal-source foods, such as total and saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein. Furthermore, a higher PHDI score was also positively associated with plasma β-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin D, folate, and ferritin concentrations, while negatively associated with trans-fatty acids concentration. Moreover, higher PHDI was related to a greater adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern. Conclusions: The PHDI showed good relative validity among adolescents in the HELENA study. Hence, future research should assess adherence to the PHDI and long-term health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A (physically) low-fidelity train-driving simulator is well suited for measuring actual train-driving performance. • COVID-19 restrictions affected train-driver students' performance negatively. • Relative validity was found between number of driving errors in a simulator test and internship grades given by supervisors. Although common in other industries, such as the automotive sector, no train-driving validation study has been found in the existing literature. The present paper intends to fill that gap by comparing the results of train-driving performance in a physically low-fidelity but highly functional simulator with real train-driving performance. Thirty-four train driver students in the final part of their basic education were assessed in a 45-minute simulator test using the number of driving errors as the performance indicator. The results were compared with the performance at 11 weeks of internship as measured by supervisors grading according to a standard procedure. One of the classes (17 to-be drivers) was affected by restrictions related to COVID-19, which led to a shortened internship and distance learning during parts of the internship. The study also intended to measure the effect of the restrictions and the types of errors the drivers made by comparing the two classes. A significant correlation was found between the number of driving errors and internship grades, r = −0.45, p <.05. The results also revealed that COVID-19 restrictions negatively affected performance, as the students from Class B made significantly more driving errors and obtained a lower internship grade than those from Class A. This paper shows that this type of low-fidelity simulator is well suited for measuring real train-driving performance. A measurement method that can predict long-term driving should have implications for both research and practical usability. Researchers can use this for studying the effects of, for example, different training methods, while train operation companies can use the method to test their drivers' skills and intervene before an actual accident occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to assess the concordance and ranking ability of a non-quantitative 33-item dietary screener developed to assess the diet of young adults in Norway, ‘MyFoodMonth 1.1’, compared to a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Data were collected in a cross-sectional dietary survey evaluating the diets of students at the University of Agder, in southern Norway. The students were asked to complete both a dietary screener and an FFQ. Data collection was carried out from September to December 2020. Participants were first-year university students aged ≥18 years familiar with Scandinavian language. Almost half of the eligible sample (n 344) was excluded due to not completing the FFQ, compared to 1⋅7 % not completing the dietary screener, resulting in 172 (66 % female) participants with a median age of 21 years. For most items of the dietary screener (n 27/33, 82 %), all aspects of diet quality and components of the Diet Quality Score showed moderate-to-strong concordance with the FFQ evaluated using Kendall’s tau-b analyses (t > 0⋅31), supported by visual inspection of box and whisker plots and descriptive ranking ability in a cross-tabulation. There was little evidence to suggest that concordance was dependent on sex. The concordance and ranking ability of ‘MyFoodMonth 1.1’ is considered satisfactory compared to a semi-quantitative FFQ. This rapid dietary assessment instrument presents a valuable addition to traditional instruments and a possible solution to recruit hard-to-reach parts of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are associated with poor diet quality and chronic diseases. UPFs fall into 1 of the following 4 groups classified according to the extent and purpose of processing: group 1 is unprocessed or minimally processed foods (MPFs); group 2 is processed culinary ingredients; group 3 is processed foods; and group 4 is UPFs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative validity of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) compared with two 24-hour dietary recalls (24DRs) 'to estimate dietary intake per NOVA food group in Mexican children and adolescents. This study is a secondary analysis of dietary data from a subsample of children and adolescents who participated in the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey. The study participants were 217 children (aged 5 through 11 years) and 165 adolescents (aged 12 through 19 years) with complete information for the SFFQ and two 24DRs. Daily averages of energy intake and percent of energy intake for each NOVA category were calculated using the SFFQ and two 24DRs. To assess relative validity, the SFFQ was compared with two 24DRs to estimate dietary intake per NOVA food group. Mean differences, Spearman correlations, intraclass correlations coefficients (ICCs), and Bland–Altman plots for continuous variables and weighted κ for ordinal variables were calculated. For percentage of energy intake, ICCs in children and adolescents were moderate for MPFs (ICC = 0.47 and ICC = 0.56, respectively) and UPFs (ICC = 0.53 and ICC = 0.57, respectively). Bland–Altman plots indicated reasonably consistent agreement for UPFs and MPFs groups in children and adolescents. Classification by quintiles was acceptable in all groups. Data from this study indicated reasonable relative validity of the SFFQ to rank the percentage of energy intake from MPFs and UPFs in Mexican children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the performance of an FFQ for estimating dietary contributions of NOVA groups to individuals' diets with a specific focus on ultra-processed foods (UPF) compared with a single 24-h dietary recall (24HR). Design: All consumed foods and beverages assess with both a 109-item FFQ and a single 24HR were classified into one of four NOVA groups: natural or minimally processed foods (MPF), processed culinary ingredients (PCI), processed foods (PF) and UPF. The contributions of each NOVA group to daily intakes of energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, fibre and Na were expressed as crude intake, energy-adjusted intake and percentage intake. Mean differences, correlation coefficients and joint classification were calculated for intakes of energy and nutrients from each NOVA group between the FFQ and the 24HR. Setting: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016. Participants: Adults aged 19–64 years (n 3189). Results: The smallest group-mean differences between the two methods were observed in UPF (2–40 %). The greatest average Pearson's correlation coefficients between the FFQ and 24HR were shown in dietary contributions of UPF (r = 0·22–0·25 for MPF; r = 0·02–0·05 for PCI; r = 0·11–0·18 for PF; r = 0·26–0·30 for UPF). The greatest agreement in quartile classification between the FFQ and the 24HR was observed in dietary contributions of UPF (70·0–71·5 % for MPF; 64·2–68·8 % for PCI; 66·9–69·2 % for PF; 71·8–73·9 % for UPF). Conclusions: The use of the FFQ for estimating absolute intake of UPF may not be encouraged in its current form, but it still may be used for relative comparisons such as quantile categorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Food frequency questionnaires are widely used as a dietary assessment tool in nutritional epidemiology to determine the relationship between diet and diseases. In Tanzania, there are several cultural variations in food intake which makes it necessary to design and validate a culture-specific food frequency questionnaire (CFFQ). Therefore, we designed a 27-items CFFQ and examine its validity in pastoral communities. Validity of CFFQ was assessed by comparing nutrient intake estimated from the CFFQ against the average from two 24-h diet recall (2R24). Spearman's correlation coefficients, cross classification and Bland–Altman's methods were used to assess the validity of CFFQ. Results: A total of 130 adults aged 18 years and above completed both CFFQ and 2R24. Correlation coefficients between CFFQ and 2R24 ranged from low (r = − 0.07) to moderate (r = 0.37). The correlation coefficients were moderately significant for kilocalories (r = 0.31, p < 0.001), carbohydrate (r = 0.33, p < 0.001), magnesium (r = 0.37, p < 0.001), and iron (r = 0.34, p < 0.001). On average, about 69% of participants were correctly classified into the same or adjacent quartile of energy and nutrient intake, while 9% were misclassified by the CFFQ. Bland–Altman's plot demonstrated that the CFFQ had acceptable agreement with the 2R24. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Driver's behavior presents a delta scaling factor between real and simulated driving. • This delta scaling factor depends on the road type (straight or curved). • This remained stable from the 6th to the 40th minute in both vehicle. • Perceived workload remains lower after 40-min of driving in simulator. • Simulator sickness may influence drivers' behavior and subjective feelings. Car manufacturers expect driving simulators to be reliable research and development tools. Questions arise, however, as to whether drivers' behavior on simulators exactly matches that observed when they are driving real cars. Drivers' performances and their subjective feelings about their driving were compared between two groups during a 40-min driving test on the same circuit in a real car (n = 20) and a high-fidelity dynamic simulator (n = 27). Their speed and its variability, the braking force and the engine revolutions per minute (rpm) were recorded five times on a straight line and three times on a curve. The differences observed in these measurements between circuit driving (CD) and simulator driving (SD) from the 6th to 40th minute showed no significant changes during the drive. The drivers also completed the NASA Raw Task Load Index (NASA RTLX) questionnaire and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) and estimated the ease and standard of their own driving performances. These subjective feelings differed significantly between the two groups throughout the experiment. The SD group's scores on the NASA RTLX and SSQ questionnaires increased with time and the CD group's perceived driving quality and ease increased with time, reaching non-significantly different levels from their usual car driving standards by the end of the drive. These findings show the existence of a fairly good match between real-life and simulated driving, which stabilized six minutes after the start of the test, regardless of whether the road was straight or curved. These objective findings and subjective assessments suggest possible ways of improving the match between drivers' performances on simulators and their real-life driving behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The dietary nutritional status of the lactating mothers is related to maternal health and has a significant impact on the growth and development of infants through the secretion of breast milk. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is the most cost-effective dietary assessment method that can help obtain information on the usual dietary pattern of participants. Until now, the FFQs have been used for different populations in China, but there are few FFQs available for the lactating mothers. We aimed to develop a semi-quantitative, 156-item FFQ for the Chinese lactating mothers, and evaluate its reproducibility and relative validity.Methods: A total of 112 lactating mothers completed two FFQs and one 3-d dietary record (3DR). The first FFQ (FFQ1) was conducted during postpartum at 60-65 days and the second FFQ (FFQ2) during subsequent follow-up at 5 weeks. The 3DR was completed with portion sizes assessed using photographs taken by the respondent before and after eating (instant photography) 1 week after FFQ1.Results: For reproducibility, the Spearman's correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.34 to 0.68, and for nutrients from 0.25 to 0.61. Meanwhile, the intra-class correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.48 to 0.87, and for nutrients from 0.27 to 0.70. For relative validity, the Spearman's correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.32 to 0.56, and for nutrients from 0.23 to 0.72. The energy-adjusted coefficients for food ranged from 0.26 to 0.55, and for nutrients from 0.22 to 0.47. Moreover, the de-attenuation coefficients for food ranged from 0.34 to 0.67, and for nutrients from 0.28 to 0.77. The Bland-Altman plots also showed reasonably acceptable agreement between the two methods.Conclusions: This FFQ is a reasonably reproducible and a relative valid tool for assessing dietary intake of the Chinese lactating mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Introduction: assessing the relationship between childhood diseases and nutrient intake is a crucial issue that requires valid and reliable dietary assessment tools in this period of physical and physiological development. Objective: the present study aimed to develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess nutrient intake in Jordanian children. Methods: in this validation study, nutrient intake as obtained from a culturally sensitive quantitative FFQ was compared to nutrient intake as assessed by four 24-hour dietary recalls (24-HRs) between September 2017 and May 2018. One hundred and thirty-six children aged 6-18 years were enrolled from selected schools in Amman, Jordan. Children or their caregivers were asked to complete the FFQ during an initial face-to-face interview. Four 24-HRs were collected weekly over one month. Of these children, 50 also took part in the reproducibility phase, which involved a repeat completion of the FFQ within 1 month. Results: the intraclass correlation coefficients between the two FFQs ranged from 0.5 for trans-fats to 0.96 for calcium. Correlation coefficients between dietary intake estimates derived from the FFQ and 24-HRs were significant at p < 0.05. The highest correlation was detected for energy (0.8) while the lowest was identified for trans-fatty acids (0.04). For all nutrients, over 60 % of participants were classified into the same or adjacent quartile of crude and adjusted intake. Bland-Altman plots showed a satisfactory agreement between the two methods for energy and proteins. Conclusion: the FFQ showed a good reproducibility and a reasonable relative validity for most nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to assess the validity of two food frequency questionnaires: the food and ingredients-based food frequency questionnaire (FIFFQ) and the meal and dish-based food frequency questionnaire (MDFFQ). The effect of energy calibration on validity was also examined. Methods: A total of 151 participants completed the 141-item MDFFQ and then the 161-item FIFFQ 5 months later. Validity was assessed by comparing the questionnaires according to 24-hour recall (24HDR) and after energy calibration. Results: The average of the correlation coefficients between the FIFFQ and 24HDR for 28 nutrients was .03, which increased to 0.25 after energy calibration; for six food groups, it was 0.17 or 0.32 after energy calibration. The average of the coefficients of the correlation between the MDFFQ and 24HDR was 0.03, which increased to 0.25 after energy calibration. Before and after energy calibration, the average percent agreement between the FIFFQ and 24HDR was 35% and 41% for 28 nutrients and was 37% and 43% for 6 food groups, respectively. The average percent agreement between the MDFFQ and 24HDR was 33% or 41% after energy calibration. The weighted kappa ranged from -0.01 to 0.40 for the FIFFQ and 24HDR and from 0.02 to 0.43 for the MDFFQ and 24HDR after energy calibration. Conclusions: The FIFFQ and MDFFQ exhibited acceptable correlations and validity after energy calibration. Therefore, the use of these food frequency questionnaires to assess dietary patterns may require energy adjustment or quantitative dietary measurements such as recall or records for calibration purposes to improve their association with outcome variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: For dietary assessment, mobile devices with a camera can be used as an alternative to hand-written paper records. The Nutritional Tracking Information Smartphone (Nutris-Phone) study aimed to examine relative validity and feasibility of a photo-based dietary record in everyday life.Design: Parallel to the photo-based technique, a weighed record was performed. Participant satisfaction was assessed by questionnaire. A trained nutrition scientist evaluated portion sizes and nutrient content was calculated (DGExpert). Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman analyses were applied.Setting: Healthy, non-pregnant volunteers (≥18 years) without intent to lose weight recruited at Ulm University, Germany.Subjects: Sixty-six participants (36 % males, median age 22·0 (interquartile range 20·0-25·0) years) took pictures of foods and beverages consumed with a commercially available mobile phone.Results: Significant correlation between the photo-based and weighed record was observed: energy (r=0·991), carbohydrate (r=0·980), fat (r=0·972), protein (r=0·988), fibre (r=0·941). Bland-Altman analyses indicated comparable means and acceptable 95 % limits of agreement (energy: -345·2 to 302·9 kJ (-82·5 to 72·4 kcal); carbohydrate: -15·2 to 13·1 g; fat: -6·4 to 6·4 g; protein: -5·9 to 5·6 g; fibre: -2·7 to 2·5 g). However, with increasing intake level, underestimation by the digital method was present (except for fat, all P<0·01). Over 80 % of participants were satisfied with the photo-based record. In nearly 90 %, technical implementation was without major problems.Conclusions: Compared with a weighed record, the photo-based dietary record seems to be valid, feasible and user-friendly to estimate energy, macronutrient and fibre intakes, although a systematic bias with increasing levels of intake should be kept in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Dietary questionnaires for assessing dietary intakes among populations of individuals aged 80 years or older (the very old) are very limited. We examined the relative validity of forty-three nutrients and twenty-seven food groups estimated by a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ) targeting very old Japanese, using semi-weighed dietary records (DR) as a reference.Design: Between June and August 2012 and between June 2015 and February 2016, a three-day non-consecutive DR (at two-week intervals) and a BDHQ were completed.Setting: Tokyo, the capital prefecture of Japan.Subjects: Eighty very old Japanese (thirty-six men and forty-four women) aged 82-94 years.Results: The median intakes of 40-70 % of the crude and energy-adjusted nutrients estimated by the BDHQ were significantly different from those estimated by the DR. The median Spearman's correlation coefficient of nutrient intakes between the BDHQ and the DR was 0·39-0·46. About half (48-56 %) of the food groups were significantly different in terms of the median intakes estimated by the BDHQ and the DR in crude and energy-adjusted values. The median Spearman's correlation coefficient between the BDHQ and the DR was 0·45-0·48.Conclusions: Acceptable Spearman's correlations (≥0·3) were obtained for many dietary intakes among the very old Japanese population. The BDHQ is a good candidate for epidemiological studies among very old Japanese, although, for some nutrients and food groups, the difficulty of estimating accurate median intakes is one of the limitations for the tool. Further efforts to enhance the validity of the BDHQ for very old populations are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is a need to improve the assessment of emotional functioning (EF). In the international Advance Care Planning: an Innovative Palliative Care Intervention to Improve Quality of Life in Cancer Patients - a Multi-Centre Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial (ACTION) trial involving patients with advanced cancer, EF was assessed by a customized 10-item short form (EF10). The EF10 is based on the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) EF item bank and has the potential for greater precision than the common EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 four-item scale (EF4). We assessed the relative validity (RV) of EF10 compared with EF4.Methods: Patients from Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom completed EF10 and EF4, and provided data on generic quality of life, coping, self-efficacy, and personal characteristics. Based on clinical and sociodemographic variables and questionnaire responses, 53 "known groups" that were expected to differ were formed, for example, females versus males. The EF10 and EF4 were first independently compared within this known group, for example, the EF10 score of females vs the EF10 score of males. When these differences were significant, the RV was calculated for the comparison of the EF10 with the EF4.Results: A total of 1028 patients (57% lung, 43% colorectal cancer) participated. Forty-five of the 53 known-groups comparisons were significantly different and were used for calculating the RV. In 41 of 45 (91%) comparisons, the RV was more than 1, meaning that EF10 had a higher RV than EF4. The mean RV of EF10 compared with that of EF4 was 1.41, indicating superior statistical power of EF10 to detect differences in EF.Conclusions: Compared with EF4, EF10 shows superior power, allowing a 20% to 34% smaller sample size without reducing power, when used as a primary outcome measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Interaction effects amongst outcome compounds were examined in humans. • Participants completed a causal or diagnostic learning task. • An outcome overshadowing effect was demonstrated in Experiment 1. • Outcome relative validity was not observed in Experiments 2 and 3. • Task type had little impact on the presence of interaction effects. Overshadowing and relative validity constitute two phenomena that inspired the development of the Rescorla-Wagner model in 1972. They demonstrate that cues will interact with one another for an association with the presence or absence of an outcome. Here, three experiments sought to explore whether these two effects extended to outcomes using a food allergist paradigm with human participants. In Experiment 1 (overshadowing) participants received trials in which a cue was followed by a compound of two outcomes (A-O1O2). Test trials revealed that participants learned less about the A-O2 association than they did between a control cue C, which had been paired with O2 in isolation (C-O2) in training – thus demonstrating an outcome overshadowing effect. In Experiment 2 (relative validity) participants received true discrimination trials, in which A was paired with an O1O3 compound and B was paired with an O2O3 compound, and pseudo discrimination trials, in which C and D were paired on 50% of the trials with an O4O6 compound and on the remaining trials with an O5O6 compound. Consequently, O3 is less well predicted by A and B relative to O1 and O2, whereas O6 is equally well predicted by C and D relative to O4 and O5. Despite the relative validity of A and B for O3 being less than the relative validity of C and D for O6, the ratings of A and B for O3 were the same as C and D for O6. This failure to observe an outcome relative validity effect was reproduced in Experiment 3, which replicated Experiment 2, but with an adjustment made to the number of training trials given to participants. These results are discussed in terms of a real-time development of the Rescorla-Wagner model provided by Wagner (1981). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the relative validity of a new, web-based, self-administered 24 h dietary recall, the R24W, for assessment of energy and nutrient intakes among French Canadians.Design: Each participant completed a 3d food record (FR) and the R24W on three occasions over a 4-week period. Intakes of energy and of twenty-four selected nutrients assessed by both methods were compared.Setting: Québec City metropolitan area.Subjects: Fifty-seven women and fifty men (mean (sd) age: 47·2 (13·3) years).Results: Equivalent proportions of under-reporters were found with the R24W (15·0%) and the FR (23·4%). Mean (sd) energy intake from the R24W was 7·2% higher than that from the FR (10 857 (3184) kJ/d (2595 (761) kcal/d) v. 10 075 (2971) kJ/d (2408 (710) kcal/d); P<0·01). Significant differences in mean nutrient intakes between the R24W and the FR ranged from -54·8% (i.e. lower value with R24W) for niacin to +40·0% (i.e. higher value with R24W) for alcohol. Sex- and energy-adjusted deattenuated correlations between the two methods were significant for all nutrients except Zn (range: 0·35-0·72; P<0·01). Cross-classification demonstrated that 40·0% of participants were classified in the same quartile with both methods, while 40·0% were classified in the adjacent quartile and only 3·6% were grossly misclassified (1st v. 4th quartile). Analysis of Bland-Altman plots revealed proportional bias between the two assessment methods for 8/24 nutrients.Conclusions: These data suggest that the R24W presents an acceptable relative validity as compared with the FR for estimating usual dietary intakes in a cohort of French Canadians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the performance of a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ), the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall (ASA24), and 7-day dietary records (7DDRs), in comparison with biomarkers, in the estimation of nutrient intakes among 627 women in the Women's Lifestyle Validation Study (United States, 2010-2012). Two paper SFFQs, 1 Web-based SFFQ, 4 ASA24s (beta version), 2 7DDRs, 4 24-hour urine samples, 1 doubly labeled water measurement (repeated among 76 participants), and 2 fasting blood samples were collected over a 15-month period. The dietary variables evaluated were energy, energy-adjusted intakes of protein, sodium, potassium, and specific fatty acids, carotenoids, a-tocopherol, retinol, and folate. In general, relative to biomarkers, averaged ASA24s had lower validity than the SFFQ completed at the end of the data-collection year (SFFQ2); SFFQ2 had slightly lower validity than 1 7DDR; the averaged SFFQs had validity similar to that of 1 7DDR; and the averaged 7DDRs had the highest validity. The deattenuated correlation of energy-adjusted protein intake assessed by SFFQ2 with its biomarker was 0.46, similar to its correlation with 7DDRs (deattenuated r = 0.54). These data indicate that the SFFQ2 provides reasonably valid measurements of energy-adjusted intake for most of the nutrients assessed in our study, consistent with earlier conclusions derived using 7DDRs as the comparison method. The ASA24 needs further evaluation for use in large population studies, but an average of 3 days of measurement will not be sufficient for some important nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to improve our understanding about what might be the specific characteristics of mental disorders to strengthen the scientific credibility of psychiatry and to clarify its position among other medical and nonmedical sciences. On the other hand, this issue has diagnostic, research, therapeutic, legal, financial, and moral implications. Some authors defend a realistic and absolutist attitude towards validity and others an instrumental and relativistic stance. Regarding the organization of concepts, dimensional or categorical approaches have both advantages and disadvantages. Regarding the methodology by which validity is sought, it can be oriented externally or internally to the concept in question. On the other hand, the validity can be expert driven or data driven, the research can be based on disorders or in symptoms and quantitative or qualitative methods may be used. In this article, we review all these different kinds of perspectives that can be taken towards the definition of validity in psychiatry and the methodology to search for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the lack in a valid biomarker to assess dietary calcium intake (dCa i ), reproducible estimation of usual dCa i is crucial for better understanding of its interaction with health outcomes in specific populations. This study tested the hypothesis that a calcium-focused food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) may be used to estimate dCa i of women ≥50 years residing in a multicultural environment (Montreal, Canada). One hundred and eight women (age, 63.1 ± 7.7 years; 98% postmenopausal) completed the FFQ twice and 4 nonconsecutive 24-hour recalls (24HRs) over 1 month. Medians of dCa i were compared by Wilcoxon signed rank test. Reproducibility and relative validity of the FFQ were assessed by Spearman correlation ( r s ) and Cohen's weighted kappa ( κ w). Agreement was further assessed by cross-classification by quartiles, Bland-Altman plot, and sensitivity and specificity analyses. The median (interquartile range) dCa i estimated by the FFQ and 24HRs were 723 (524-1033) mg/d and 854 (666-1068) mg/d, respectively ( P < .001). The FFQs had a strong correlation ( r s = 0.72, P < .001) and moderate agreement ( κ w = 0.55). The FFQ and 24HRs were moderately correlated ( r s = 0.65, P < .001). Cross-classification showed moderate agreement ( κ w = 0.42), with 85% of the participants classified into identical or contiguous quartiles and 2.8% into extreme opposite quartiles. According to the Bland-Altman plot, the FFQ underestimated dCa i with a bias of 99 mg/d (95% limits of agreement, −677 to +480 mg/d). Sensitivity and specificity of identifying intakes <1000 mg/d were 90% and 57%, respectively. This FFQ is a useful tool to discriminate dCa i <600 and ≥1000 mg/d in postmenopausal women and to rank dCa i in epidemiological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The European study MetaCardis aims to investigate the role of the gut microbiota in health and cardiometabolic diseases in France, Germany, and Denmark. To evaluate long-term diet–disease relationships, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was found to be the most relevant dietary assessment method for the MetaCardis study. Objective The objectives of this study were to describe the development of three semiquantitative online FFQs used in the MetaCardis study—one FFQ per country—and to assess the relative validity of the French MetaCardis FFQ. Design The layout and format of the MetaCardis FFQ was based on the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk FFQ and the content was based on relevant European FFQs. Portion size and nutrient composition were derived from national food consumption surveys and food composition databases. To assess the validity of the French MetaCardis FFQ, a cross-sectional study design was utilized. Participants/setting The validation study included 324 adults recruited between September 2013 and June 2015 from different hospitals in Paris, France. Main outcome measures Food intakes were measured with both the French MetaCardis FFQ and 3 consecutive self-administered web-based 24-hour dietary recalls (DRs). Statistical analyses performed Several measures of validity of the French MetaCardis FFQ were evaluated: estimations of food groups, energy, and nutrient intakes from the DRs and the FFQ, Spearman and Pearson correlations, cross-classification, and Bland-Altman analyses. Results The French MetaCardis FFQ tended to report higher food, energy, and nutrient intakes compared with the DRs. Mean correlation coefficient was 0.429 for food, 0.460 for energy, 0.544 for macronutrients, 0.640 for alcohol, and 0.503 for micronutrient intakes. Almost half of participants (44.4%) were correctly classified within tertiles of consumption, whereas 12.9% were misclassified in the opposite tertile. Performance of the FFQ was relatively similar after stratification by sex. Conclusions The French MetaCardis FFQ was found to have an acceptable level of validity and may be a useful instrument to rank individuals based on their food and nutrient intakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the stability and relative validity (RV) of the Neuromuscular Disease Impact Profile (NMDIP) using criterion-related groups. In a previous study the NMDIP-scales showed good internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity. Known-groups analysis showed that the NMDIP discriminates between categories of extent of limitations.Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey study was performed on patients diagnosed with a NMD and registered at the Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands. Participants were asked to complete the preliminary NMDIP, the Medical Outcome study Short Form Questionnaire (SF-36), the World Health Organization Quality Of Life-abbreviation version (WHOQOL-bref), and two generic domain specific measures: the Groningen Activity Restriction Scale (GARS) and the Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire (IPAQ). The variables 'Extent of Limitations' and 'Quality of Life' were used to create criterion-related groups. Stability over time was tested using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test for paired samples and the intraclass correlation coefficients for repeated measures. RV was examined by comparing the ability of NMDIP with generic multidimensional health impact measures, and domain specific measures in discriminating between criterion-related subgroups using the Kruskal-Wallis H-test.Results: Response rate was 70% (n = 702). The NMDIP-scales showed sufficient stability over time, and satisfactory or strong RV. In general, the NMDIP scales performed as well as or better than the concurrent measurement instruments.Conclusions: The NMDIP proved to be a valid and reliable disease-targeted measure with a broad scope on physical, psychological and social functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the relative validity and reproducibility of the semi-quantitative FFQ (SFFQ) applied in the evaluation of a community intervention study, SoL-Bornholm, for estimating food intakes.Design: The reference measure was a 4 d estimated food record. The SFFQ was completed two times separated by a 1-month period in order to test reproducibility.Setting: The Capital Region and the Regional Municipality of Bornholm, Denmark.Subjects: A total of fifty-four children aged 3-9 years were enrolled in the study.Results: In terms of validity, the SFFQ generally overestimated intakes compared with the food records, especially for vegetables. For most intakes, the mean difference increased with increasing intake. Gross misclassification was on average higher for energy and nutrients (17%) than for foods (8%). Spearman correlation coefficients were significant for twelve out of fourteen intakes, ranging from 0·29 to 0·63 for foods and from 0·12 to 0·48 for energy and nutrients. Comparing the repeated SFFQ administrations, the intakes of the first SFFQ were slightly higher than those of the second SFFQ. Gross misclassification was low for most intakes; on average 6% for foods and 8% for energy and nutrients. Intra-class correlations were significant for all intakes, ranging from 0·30 to 0·82 for foods and from 0·46 to 0·81 for energy and nutrients.Conclusions: The results indicate that the SFFQ gives reproducible estimates. The relative validity of the SFFQ was low to moderate for most intakes but comparable to other studies among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the relative validity of a semi-quantitative, web-based FFQ completed by female pregnancy planners in the Danish 'Snart Forældre' study.Design: We validated a web-based FFQ based on the FFQ used in the Danish National Birth Cohort against a 4 d food diary (FD) and assessed the relative validity of intakes of foods and nutrients. We compared means and medians of intakes, and calculated Pearson correlation coefficients and de-attenuated coefficients to assess agreement between the two methods. We also calculated the proportion correctly classified based on the same or adjacent quintile of intake and the proportion of grossly misclassified (extreme quintiles).Setting: Participants (n 128) in the 'Snart Forældre' study who had completed the web-based FFQ were invited to participate in the validation study.Subjects: Participants in the 'Snart Forældre' study, in total ninety-seven women aged 20-42 years.Results: Reported intakes of dairy products, vegetables and potatoes were higher in the FFQ compared with the FD, whereas reported intakes of fruit, meat, sugar and beverages were lower in the FFQ than in the FD. Overall the de-attenuated correlation coefficients were acceptable, ranging from 0·33 for energy to 0·93 for vitamin D. The majority of the women were classified in the same or adjacent quintile and few women were misclassified (extreme quintiles).Conclusion: The web-based FFQ performs well for ranking women of reproductive age according to high or low intake of foods and nutrients and, thus, provides a solid basis for investigating associations between diet and fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop and evaluate the validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for rural Rwandans. Since our FFQ was developed to assess malnutrition, it measured energy, protein, vitamin A, and iron intakes only. We collected 260 weighed food records (WFRs) from a total of 162 Rwandans. Based on the WFR data, we developed a tentative FFQ and examined the food list by percent contribution to energy and nutrient intakes. To assess the validity, nutrient intakes estimated from the FFQ were compared with those calculated from three-day WFRs by correlation coefficient and cross-classification for 17 adults. Cumulative contributions of the 18-item FFQ to the total intakes of energy and nutrients reached nearly 100%. Crude and energy-adjusted correlation coefficients ranged from -0.09 (vitamin A) to 0.58 (protein) and from -0.19 (vitamin A) to 0.68 (iron), respectively. About 50%-60% of the participants were classified into the same tertile. Our FFQ provided acceptable validity for energy and iron intakes and could rank Rwandan adults in eastern rural area correctly according to their energy and iron intakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the test-retest reliabilities and relative validities of the Chinese version of short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-S-C), the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ-C), and the Total Energy Expenditure Questionnaire (TEEQ-C) in a population-based prospective study, the Taizhou Longitudinal Study (TZLS). Study design: A longitudinal comparative study. Methods: A total of 205 participants (male: 38.54%) aged 30-70 years completed three questionnaires twice (day one and day nine) and physical activity log (PA-log) over seven consecutive days. The test-retest reliabilities were evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and the relative validities were estimated by comparing the data from physical activity questionnaires (PAQs) and PA-log. Results: Good reliabilities were observed between the repeated PAQs. The ICCs ranged from 0.51 to 0.80 for IPAQ-C, 0.67 to 0.85 for GPAQ-C, and 0.74 to 0.94 for TEEQ-C, respectively. Energy expenditure of most PA domains estimated by the three PAQs correlated moderately with the results recorded by PA-log except the walking domain of IPAQ-S-C. The partial correlation coefficients between the PAQs and PA-log ranged from 0.44 to 0.58 for IPAQ-S-C, 0.26 to 0.52 for GPAQ-C, and 0.41 to 0.72 for TEEQ-C, respectively. Bland-Altman plots showed acceptable agreement between the three PAQs and PA-log. Conclusion: The three PAQs, especially TEEQ-C, were relatively reliable and valid for assessment of physical activity and could be used in TZLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo assess the relative validity and repeatability of a sixty-four-item FFQ for estimating dietary intake of Zn and its absorption modifiers in Saudi adults. In addition, we used the FFQ to investigate the effect of age and gender on these intakes.DesignTo assess validity, all participants completed the FFQ (FFQ1) and a 3 d food record. After 1 month, the FFQ was administered for a second time (FFQ2) to assess repeatability.SettingJeddah, Saudi Arabia.SubjectsOne hundred males and females aged 20–30 years and 60–70 years participated.ResultsMean intakes of Zn and protein from FFQ1 were significantly higher than those from the food record while there were no detectable differences between tools for measurement of phytic acid intake. Estimated intakes of Zn, protein and phytate by both approaches were strongly correlated (P<0·001). Bland–Altman analysis showed for protein that the difference in intake as measured by the two methods was similar across the range of intakes while for Zn and phytic acid, the difference increased with increasing mean intake. Zn and protein intakes from FFQ1 and FFQ2 were highly correlated (r>0·68, P<0·001) but were significantly lower at the second measurement (FFQ2). Older adults consumed less Zn and protein compared with young adults. Intakes of all dietary components were lower in females than in males.ConclusionsThe FFQ developed and tested in the current study demonstrated reasonable relative validity and high repeatability and was capable of detecting differences in intakes between age and gender groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food frequency questionnaires ( FFQs) are less time consuming and inexpensive instruments for collecting dietary intake when compared with 24- h dietary recalls or double-labelled water; however, the validation of FFQ is important as incorrect information may lead to biased conclusions about associations. Therefore, the relative validity of the Block Kids Food Screener ( BKFS) developed for use with children was examined in a convenience sample of 99 youth recruited from the Portland, OR metropolitan area. Three 24- h dietary recalls served as the reference. The relative validity was analysed after natural log transformation of all variables except glycaemic index prior to correlation analysis. Daily cup equivalent totals from the BKFS and 'servings' from 24- h recalls were used to compute average daily intake of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, whole grains, legumes, meat/fish/poultry and dairy. Protein grams ( g), total kcalories, glycaemic index (glucose reference), glycaemic load (glucose reference), total saturated fat ( g) and added sugar ( g) were also calculated by each instrument. The correlation between data obtained from the two instruments was corrected for the within-subject variation in food intake reported by the 24- h recalls using standard nutritional assessment methodology. The de-attenuated correlations in nutritional intake between the two dietary assessment instruments ranged from 0.526 for vegetables, to 0.878 for potatoes. The 24- h recall estimated higher levels of saturated fat and added sugar consumption, higher glycaemic loads and glycaemic indices; the de-attenuatted correlations of these measures ranged from 0.478 to 0.768. Assessment of Bland- Altman plots indicated no systematic difference between the two instruments for vegetable, dairy and meat/fish/poultry fat consumption. BKFS is a useful dietary assessment instrument for the nutrients and food groups it was designed to assess in children age 10-17 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Food frequency questionnaires are relatively inexpensive, easy and quick to administer, but the construction of a food frequency questionnaire that can capture Chinese food habits is challenging given the diverse lifestyle and eating habits in different parts of the country. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reproducibility of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire against a 3-day dietary recall in a rural region of western China. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Chinese maternal and child healthcare hospital. Population A total of 168 healthy pregnant women. Methods Pregnant women completed a food frequency questionnaire at 16-24 weeks gestation, and again at 29-31 weeks; during weeks 26-27 they completed a 3-day dietary recall. Results In general, mean intake was higher when assessed with food frequency questionnaires compared with dietary recall. Spearman and intra-class correlation coefficients between the two food frequency questionnaires ranged from 0.31 to 0.69 and from 0.27 to 0.79, respectively. For the second food frequency questionnaire and the dietary recall, the crude and de-attenuated Spearman correlations ranged from 0.12 to 0.55 and 0.14 to 0.58, respectively. The correlation both between the two food frequency questionnaires and between the second food frequency questionnaire and the dietary recall decreased after adjustment for energy. Ranking women, 31-57% and 1-8% were classified into the same and the opposite quartile, respectively, by both food frequency questionnaires; 30-45% and 1-11% were classified into the same and the opposite quartile respectively for the second food frequency questionnaire and dietary recall. Conclusion The food frequency questionnaire showed good reproducibility and correlations with dietary recall; it is useful for ranking study participants according to dietary intake, which is of great importance to future etiological studies in this cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In the context of a rapidly increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases, fruit and vegetables could play a key preventive role. To date, there is no rapid assessment tool available for measuring the fruit and vegetable intakes of North- African women. The present study aimed to investigate the reproducibility and relative validity of an eight-item quantitative food frequency questionnaire that measures the fruit and vegetable intakes ( FV- FFQ) of Moroccan women. Methods During a 1-week period, 100 women, living in the city of Rabat, Morocco (aged 20-49 years) completed the short FV- FFQ twice: once at baseline ( FV- FFQ1) and once at the end of the study ( FV- FFQ2). In the mean time, participants completed three 24-h dietary recalls. All questionnaires were administered by interviewers. Reproducibility was assessed by computing Spearman's correlation coefficients, intra class correlation ( ICC) coefficients and kappa statistics. Relative validity was assessed by computing Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Spearman's correlation coefficients, as well as by performing Bland- Altman plots. Results In terms of reproducibility, Spearman's correlation coefficient was 0.56; ICC coefficient was 0.68; and weighted kappa was 0.35. In terms of relative validity, compared with the three 24-h recalls, the FV- FFQ slightly underestimated mean fruit and vegetable intakes (−10.9%; P = 0.006); Spearman's correlation coefficient was 0.69; at the individual level, intakes measured by the FV- FFQ were between 0.39 and 2.19 times those measured by the 24-h recalls. Conclusions The brief eight-item FV- FFQ is a reliable and relatively valid tool for measuring mean fruit and vegetable intakes at the population level, although this is not the case at the individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo evaluate the reliability and relative validity of a semi-quantitative FFQ for assessing the habitual intake of multiple nutrients in New Zealand (NZ) adults over the past 12 months.DesignA 154-item FFQ was developed. After initial pre-testing, reliability was assessed using intra-class correlations. Relative validity was assessed by comparing nutrient intakes derived from the FFQ v. those from an 8 d diet record (8dWDR) collected over 12 months and selected blood biomarkers, using Spearman correlations. Supplementary cross-classification and Bland–Altman analyses were performed to assess validity of the FFQ v. the 8dWDR.SettingDunedin, NZ.SubjectsOne hundred and thirty-two males and females aged 30–59 years who completed all FFQ and 8dWDR and provided a blood sample.ResultsReliability coefficients ranged from 0·47 for Ca to 0·83 for alcohol, with most values falling between 0·60 and 0·80. The highest validity coefficients for energy-adjusted data were observed for alcohol (0·74), cholesterol (0·65) and β-carotene (0·58), and the lowest for Zn (0·24) and Ca (0·28). For all energy-adjusted nutrients mean percentage correct classification was 77·9 % and gross misclassification was 4·5 %. Results of Bland–Altman analyses showed wide limits of agreement for all micronutrients but high agreement was observed for most macronutrients (99 % for protein, 103 % for total fat). When compared with biomarkers, energy-adjusted coefficients were 0·34 for β-carotene and 0·33 for vitamin C.ConclusionsThe FFQ provides highly repeatable measurements and good validity in ranking individuals’ intake, suggesting that it will be a useful tool to assess nutrient intake of NZ adults in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Invalid information on dietary intake may lead to false diet-disease associations. This study was conducted to examine the relative validity of the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used to assess dietary intake in the Leiden Longevity Study. Methods: A total of 128 men and women participating in the Leiden Longevity Study were included in the present validation study. The performance of the FFQ was evaluated using the mean of three 24-hour recalls as the reference method. Evaluation in estimating dietary intake at the group level was done by paired t-tests. The relative validity of the individual energy adjusted level of intake was assessed with correlation analyses (Pearson's), with correction for measurement error. Results: On group level, the FFQ overestimated as well as underestimated absolute intake of various nutrients and foods. The Bland and Altman plot for total energy intake showed that the agreement between the FFQ and the 24-hour recalls was dependent of intake level. Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from 0.21 (alpha linolenic acid) to 0.78 (ethanol) for nutrients and from -0.02 (legumes, non-significant) to 0.78 (alcoholic beverages) for foods. Adjustment for energy intake slightly lowered the correlation coefficients for nutrients (mean coefficient: 0.48 versus 0.50), while adjustment for within-subject variation in the 24-h recalls resulted in higher correlation coefficients for both nutrients and foods (mean coefficient: 0.69 for nutrients and 0.65 for foods). Conclusions: For most nutrients and foods, the ability of the FFQ to rank subjects was acceptable to good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Relative validity (RV), a ratio of ANOVA F-statistics, is often used to compare the validity of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. We used the bootstrap to establish the statistical significance of the RV and to identify key factors affecting its significance. Methods: Based on responses from 453 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients to 16 CKD-specific and generic PRO measures, RVs were computed to determine how well each measure discriminated across clinically-defined groups of patients compared to the most discriminating (reference) measure. Statistical significance of RV was quantified by the 95% bootstrap confidence interval. Simulations examined the effects of sample size, denominator F-statistic, correlation between comparator and reference measures, and number of bootstrap replicates. Results: The statistical significance of the RV increased as the magnitude of denominator F-statistic increased or as the correlation between comparator and reference measures increased. A denominator F-statistic of 57 conveyed sufficient power (80%) to detect an RV of 0.6 for two measures correlated at r = 0.7. Larger denominator F-statistics or higher correlations provided greater power. Larger sample size with a fixed denominator F-statistic or more bootstrap replicates (beyond 500) had minimal impact. Conclusions: The bootstrap is valuable for establishing the statistical significance of RV estimates. A reasonably large denominator F-statistic (F > 57) is required for adequate power when using the RV to compare the validity of measures with small or moderate correlations (r < 0.7). Substantially greater power can be achieved when comparing measures of a very high correlation (r > 0.9). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group is developing a computer- adaptive test (CAT) version of the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30). We evaluated the measurement properties of the CAT versions of physical functioning (PF) and fatigue (FA) and compared these with the corresponding QLQ-C30 scales. Study Design and Setting: Based on international samples of more than 1,000 cancer patients, we simulated CAT administration of varying numbers of items and compared the resulting scores with those based on all items in the respective item pools. Furthermore, the relative validity (RV) of CATs was compared with that of the QLQ-C30 scales using known groups validity. Results: For both dimensions, CATs of all lengths resulted in unbiased score estimates. CATs consisting of five or more items had reliability>0.90, correlated ≥97 with the full scale, and had root mean square error <0.25. The average RVs for these CATs ranged 1.02-1.33, indicating possible savings in sample size requirements of 3-42% using CAT. Conclusion: The CAT versions of PF and FA exhibited high levels of measurement precision and efficiency. The potential savings in sample size requirements using CATs compared with those using the original QLQ-C30 scales were typically 20% or more. 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In each of three experiments animals received blocking, A+ AX+. in which food was always presented after one stimulus, A, that was occasionally accompanied by another stimulus. X. They also received a simple discrimination, AX+ BX-. in which the presence and absence of food was signaled by two compounds that contained one unique cue, A or B, and one common cue, X. In each of these designs, X can be said to be redundant relative to A as a signal for food. Test trials at the end of training revealed that responding during X was stronger after blocking than after the simple discrimination. These results contradict predictions from theories of learning that assume changes in associative strength of a stimulus are determined by a global error term based on the outcome predicted by all the stimuli that are present for a conditioning trial. The results are interpreted, instead, by assuming either that animals store a memory of every trial to which they have been exposed, or that learning is governed by an error term based on the significance of individual stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the relative validity of a multiple-pass interactive 24-h recall (24-HR) for assessing nutrient intakes of a group of rural Ethiopian women. Methods: Dietary intakes from a 24-HR were compared with weighed record (WR) intakes collected on the same day for 58 women of child-bearing age from three subsistence farming communities in Sidama. The impact of memory lapses, use of average recipe data, and inaccurate portion size estimates on 24-HR intakes was also assessed. Results: Median daily intakes of energy and most nutrients (except fat and phytate) were lower (P < 0.05) by the 24-HR versus the WR. Controlling for energy densities decreased the discrepancies to lower than ±6%, except for vitamin C. No significant differences between the two methods existed for the contribution of six food groups to energy intakes (percentages). Fewer than 40% of 24-HR intakes were ±10% of the WR. After classifying intakes (per day) into quartiles, Cohen’s κ values were poor (<4.0) for protein, iron, retinol, and dietary fiber and fair (≥0.40 to ≤0.75) for energy and other nutrients; all values per megajoule were mostly fair. Bland-Altman plots confirmed a negative bias for daily energy and nutrient intakes with the 24-HR versus WRs. Discrepancies were attributed mainly to inaccurate portion size estimates. Conclusion: In this setting, the 24-HR cannot be substituted for the WR to assess absolute nutrient intakes for a group or the prevalence of inadequate intakes but could be used for energy-adjusted intakes. Prior training may improve the accuracy of the 24-HR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ObjectiveTo compare the relative validity of food group intakes derived from a comprehensive self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ) and a brief-type DHQ (BDHQ) developed for the assessment of Japanese diets during the previous month using semi-weighed dietary records (DR) as a reference method.DesignBetween November 2002 and September 2003, a 4 d DR (covering four non-consecutive days), a DHQ (150-item semi-quantitative questionnaire) and a BDHQ (fifty-eight-item fixed-portion-type questionnaire) were completed four times (once per season) at 3-month intervals.SettingThree areas in Japan: Osaka, Nagano and Tottori.SubjectsNinety-two Japanese women aged 31–69 years and ninety-two Japanese men aged 32–76 years.ResultsMedian food group intakes were estimated well for approximately half of the food groups. No statistically significant differences were noted between a 16 d DR and the first DHQ (DHQ1) or between the DR and the first BDHQ (BDHQ1) in fifteen (44 %) and fifteen (52 %) food items for women and in fourteen (41 %) and sixteen (55 %) food items for men, respectively, indicating that both questionnaires estimated median values reasonably well. Median Spearman's correlation coefficients with the DR were 0·43 (range: −0·09 to 0·77) for DHQ1 and 0·44 (range: 0·14 to 0·82) for BDHQ1 in women, with respective values of 0·44 (range: 0·08 to 0·87) and 0·48 (range: 0·22 to 0·83) in men, indicating reasonable ranking ability. Similar results were observed for mean values of the four DHQ and BDHQ.ConclusionsIn terms of food intake estimates, both the DHQ and the BDHQ showed reasonable validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/Aims: We tested the reproducibility and relative validity of a French self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) against 24-hour dietary records (DRs). Methods: We selected 140 participants from the SU.VI.MAX study. They filled in the FFQ twice at 1-year intervals and completed monthly 24-hour DR during that year. The number of food items in the FFQ was 240. Results: Reproducibility was high. Medians of Pearson coefficients were 0.70 and 0.65 for nutrients in men and women, respectively. Medians of intraclass correlation coefficients for food were 0.62 in men and 0.65 in women. For nutrients, crude Pearson correlation coefficients for relative validity ranged from 0.28 to 0.67 in men and from 0.25 to 0.55 in women. The Spearman coefficient for alcohol was 0.78 in both genders. For food, the medians of the Spearman coefficient were 0.49 and 0.45 for men and women, respectively. Complete disagreement between the FFQ and 24-hour DRs for ranking subjects according to food consumption was low (about 4%), except for rarely consumed food groups, that is nuts, legumes and offal. Calibration coefficients were estimated by linear regression. All coefficients were lower than one. Conclusions: Acceptable reproducibility and relative validity were observed in a FFQ designed for French adults. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is important to assess the dietary habits of children as they progress from early childhood to adolescence. However, there are few validated tools available to assess the diet of this group of children. The present study aimed to investigate the relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) developed for use in a biennial longitudinal study. Methods: The parents of 216 Belgian–Flemish preschool children completed a FFQ (including questions on 77 food groups) and an online dietary assessment tool for three nonconsecutive days on their child’s diet. Intakes of energy, macronutrients, fibre, calcium and 20 food groups recorded by both methods were compared using Spearman’s correlations, Wilcoxon’s signed rank test and Bland and Altman analyses. Results: At the group level, good agreement was found for energy, fat and protein intake, an overestimation was found for carbohydrates (5.6%) and fibre (13.3%), and an underestimation was found for calcium (9%). For the food groups, overestimation as well as underestimation and good agreement were found, although overestimation was most common. Good agreement was found in ranking the children’s fruit ( r = 0.53), beverages ( r = 0.58–0.76), soup ( r = 0.51), breakfast cereals ( r = 0.55) and calcium ( r = 0.59) intake according to both methods. Conclusion: The results obtained revealed that the FFQ was a useful alternative for estimating energy and macronutrient intake at a group level; however, when used to estimate fibre and calcium intake, respectively, over- and underestimation need to be considered. The short reference period (3 days) may have compromised agreement in ranking and agreement at the individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although dietary pattern approaches derived from dietary assessment questionnaires are widely used, only a few studies in Western countries have reported the validity of this approach. We examined the relative validity of dietary patterns derived from a self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ) among Japanese adults. Design: The DHQ, assessing diet during the preceding month, and 4 d dietary records (DR) were collected in each season over one year. To derive dietary patterns, 145 food items in the DHQ and 1259 in the DR were classified into thirtythree predefined food groups, and entered into a factor analysis. Setting: Three areas in Japan; Osaka (urban), Nagano (rural inland) and Tottori (rural coastal). Subjects: A total of ninety-two Japanese women and ninety-two Japanese men aged 31-76 years. Results: We identified three dietary patterns ('healthy', 'Western' and 'Japanese traditional') in women and two ('healthy' and 'Western') in men, which showed a relatively similar direction and magnitude of factor loadings of food groups across the first and mean of four DHQ (DHQ1 and mDHQ, respectively) and 16 d DR. The Pearson correlation coefficients between DHQ1 and 16 d DR for the healthy, Western and Japanese traditional patterns in women were 0·57, 0·36 and 0·44, and for the healthy and Western patterns in men were 0·62 and 0·56, respectively. When mDHQ was examined, the correlation coefficients improved for women (0·45-0·69). Conclusions: Dietary patterns derived from the DHQ could be used for epidemiological studies as surrogates of those derived from DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three conditioned suppression experiments with rats investigated contrasting predictions made by the extended comparator hypothesis and acquisition-focused models of learning, specifically, modified SOP and the revised Rescorla-Wagner model, concerning retrospective revaluation. Two target cues (X and Y) were partially reinforced using a stimulus relative validity design (i.e., AX-Outcome; BX-No outcome; CY-Outcome; DY-No outcome), and subsequently one of the companion cues for each target was extinguished in compound (BC-No outcome). In Experiment 1, which used spaced trials for relative validity training, greater suppression was observed to target cue Y for which the excitatory companion cue had been extinguished in relation to target cue X for which the nonexcitatory companion cue had been extinguished. Experiment 2 replicated these results in a sensory preconditioning preparation. Experiment 3 massed the trials during relative validity training, and the opposite pattern of data was observed. The results are consistent with the predictions of the extended comparator hypothesis. Furthermore, this set of experiments is unique in being able to differentiate between these models without invoking higher-order comparator processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food frequency questionnaire is an important assessment tool for public health nutrition research. We describe the development history and conducted the validity and reproducibility studies for a meal-based Chinese food frequency questionnaire (Chinese FFQ) by five meal sequences. A total of 51 subjects were recruited to collect dietary information twice (6 months apart) with one 24-hr recall, 7-day food records and the Chinese FFQ. Combining data from both time sets, Chinese FFQ showed strong correlations of macro and micronutrients with 7-day records (n=60, r=0.29-0.50, p<0.05), but not with 24-hr recalls (n=60, r=0.01-0.23, p>0.05). The reproducibility of this Chinese FFQ (n=22) was consistently high for most nutrients, with Spearman correction coefficients between 0.42 for vitamin A to 0.79 for vitamin B12. From a larger sample of 231 subjects who completed the Chinese FFQ and one 24-hr recall, we found the energy distributions of breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon and evening snacks combined from Chinese FFQ were 20%, 37%, 37% and 6%, and from 24-hour recalls were 19%, 36%, 44% and 1%, respectively. These results showed acceptable reproducibility and relative validity of this meal-based Chinese FFQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To validate a five-item, semi-quantitative, short food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) designed to estimate daily legume consumption over a week, against results obtained from 7-day food diaries (7-day FD). Design Participants completed a 7-day FD and at the end of this period completed the SFFQ, to indicate the number of times they ate five legume-containing dishes in the previous week and what size portion of each dish they consumed. Daily legume intake (g day−1) was calculated for both methods and participants were classified into tertiles of intake for each method. Subjects/setting Fifty-one healthy females aged 25–55 years, employed at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK between May 2003 and December 2004. Results The two methods produced a similar mean intake of legumes [SFFQ: 14.8 (95% CI: 9.9–19.8) versus 7-day FD: 14.9 (95% CI: 9.3–20.6) g day−1] and the Pearson’s correlation coefficient was 0.353 ( P = 0.038). Exact agreement within tertiles and gross misclassification were 54.9% and 9.8% respectively. The weighted kappa statistic indicated fair agreement between the two methods (κ = 0.262). Conclusions The SFFQ is an acceptable instrument for estimating legume consumption over a week and can be used to rank individuals according to the intake of this food group in similar nutrition intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the relative validity of data for consumption of fatty acids (FAs) measured with a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in comparison with plasma concentration of FAs.Design: In this cross-sectional study, completed FFQs were secured from 177 (92 male and 85 female) employees working for a company in August 2001. Intake of FAs was assessed with the FFQ, and the values were validated against FA concentration in plasma in overnight-fasting blood.Results: Mean±SD daily intakes of total fatty acids (TFAs) were 44.4±8.0 g day-1 for men and 42.9±7.2 g day-1 for women. Plasma concentration of TFAs were 12.73±3.78mmol l-1 for men and 10.54±1.75 mmol l-1 for women. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, unadjusted and energy-adjusted by the energy-density method and residual method, for n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) were 0.37 (p<0.001), 0.38 (p<0.001) and 0.40 (p<0.001) for men, and 0.41 (p<0.001), 0.26 (p<0.01) and 0.29 (p<0.01) for women, respectively.Conclusions: Relative validity values of data for intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for women and n-3 HUFAs in both genders, assessed with the FFQ compared with FA concentration in plasma, were moderate, but no significant associations were found for saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids or n-6 PUFAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the validity of food intake estimates obtained by a self-administered FFQ relative to weighed food records (WFR) and the extent to which demographic, anthropometric, and social characteristics explain differences between these methods. A community-based sample of 96 Australian adults completed a FFQ and 12 d of WFR over 12 mo. The FFQ was adapted to the Australian setting from the questionnaire used in the US Nurses' Health Study. Spearman rank correlation coefficients ranged from 0.08 for "other vegetables" to 0.88 for tea. Exact agreement by quartiles of intake ranged from 27% (eggs) to 63% (tea). Differences between FFQ and WFR regressed on personal characteristics were significantly associated with at least 1 characteristic for 20 of the 37 foods. Sex was significantly associated with differences for 17 food groups, including 5 specific vegetable groups and 2 "total" fruit and vegetable groups. Use of dietary supplements and the presence of a medical condition were associated with differences for 5 foods; age, school leaving age, and occupation were associated with differences for 1-3 foods. BMI was not associated with differences for any foods. Regression models explained from 3% (whole-meal bread) to 37% (for all cereals and products) of variation in differences between methods. We conclude that the relative validity of intake estimates obtained by FFQ is different for men and women for a large number of foods. These results highlight the need for appropriate adjustment of diet-disease relations for factors affecting the validity of food intake estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and Objectives: Most health-related quality-of-life questionnaires include multi-item scales. Scale scores are usually estimated as simple sums of the item scores. However, scoring procedures utilizing more information from the items might improve measurement abilities, and thereby reduce the needed sample sizes. We investigated whether item response theory (IRT)-based scoring improved the measurement abilities of the EORTC QLQ-C30 physical functioning, emotional functioning, and fatigue scales. Methods: Using a database of 13,010 subjects we estimated the relative validities of IRT scoring compared to sum scoring of the scales. Results: The mean relative validities were 1.04 (physical), 1.03 (emotional), and 0.97 (fatigue). None of these were significantly larger than 1. Thus, no gain in measurement abilities using IRT scoring was found for these scales. Possible explanations include that the items in the scales are not constructed for IRT scoring and that the scales are relatively short. Conclusion: IRT scoring of the three longest EORTC QLQ-C30 scales did not improve measurement abilities compared to the traditional sum scoring of the scales. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background/objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine reproducibility and relative validity of the Short QUestionnaire to ASsess Health-enhancing physical activity (SQUASH).Methods: Participants (36 men and 14 women, aged 27-58) were asked to complete the SQUASH twice with an inbetween period of approximately 5 weeks. In addition, participants wore the Computer Science and Applications (CSA) Activity Monitor for a 2-week period following the first questionnaire.Results: The Spearman correlation for overall reproducibility of the SQUASH was 0.58 (95%-CI 0.36-0.74). Correlations for the reproducibility of the separate questions varied between 0.44 and 0.96. Spearman's correlation coefficient between CSA readings and the total activity score was 0.45 (95%-CI 0.17-0.66).Conclusions: In conclusion, the SQUASH is a fairly reliable and reasonably valid questionnaire and may be used to order subjects according to their level of physical activity in an adult population. Because the SQUASH is a short and simple questionnaire, it may proof to be a very useful tool for the evaluation of health enhancing physical activity in large populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The contribution of beverages to overall diet is of increasing interest to researchers and policymakers, particularly in terms of consumption of drinks high in added sugars; however, few tools to assess beverage intake have been developed and evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the relative validity of a new online Beverage Frequency Questionnaire (BFQ) among young adults in Canada.Methods: A cross-sectional relative validation study was conducted among young adults aged 16-30 years (n = 50). Participants completed a 17-item BFQ, a 7-day food record (7dFR), and a single-item measure of sugary drink intake. Pearson correlations and paired t-tests were used to evaluate correlation and agreement between the measures for 17 individual beverage categories, total drink consumption, total alcoholic beverage consumption, and two definitions of drinks with excess sugars. Cognitive interviews were conducted to examine participant interpretation and comprehensiveness of the BFQ.Results: Estimates of beverage intake based on the BFQ and the 7dFR were highly correlated, specifically for the total number and volume of beverages consumed, total alcoholic beverage consumption, sugary drink intake, and each of the 17 beverage categories with 3 exceptions: coffee or tea with sugar or cream, specialty coffees, and hard alcohol with caloric mix. Paired t-tests between the BFQ and the 7dFR indicated that the average reported volume was significantly different only for sweetened fruit drinks. The single-item measure of sugary beverage intake was not significantly correlated with the 7dFR. Cognitive interviewing demonstrated high comprehension levels, and confirmed the appropriateness of the BFQ beverage categories and sizes.Conclusions: Overall, the results suggest that the BFQ performed well relative to a 7dFR and had high usability among this study population, indicating its promise for collecting population-level data on beverage intake, including sugar-sweetened beverages, which are known indicators of diet and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]