Development and evaluation of a short 24-h food list as part of a blended dietary assessment strategy in large-scale cohort studies

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The validity of dietary assessment in large-scale cohort studies has been questioned. Combining data sources for the estimation of usual intake in a blended approach may enhance the validity of dietary measurement. Our objective was to develop a web-based 24-h food list for Germany to identify foods consumed during the previous 24 h and to evaluate the performance of the new questionnaire in a feasibility study. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Available data from the German National Nutrition Survey II were used to develop a finite list of food items. A total of 508 individuals were invited to fill in the 24-h food list via the Internet up to three times during a 3-6-month time period. In addition, participants were asked to evaluate the questionnaire using a brief online evaluation form. RESULTS: In total, 246 food items were identified for the 24-h food list, reflecting > 75% variation in intake of 27 nutrients and four major food groups. Among the individuals invited, 64% participated in the feasibility study. Of these, 100%, 85% and 68% of participants completed the 24-h food list one, two or three times, respectively. The average time needed to complete the questionnaire was 9 min, and its acceptability by participants was rated as high. CONCLUSIONS: The 24-h food list represents a promising new dietary assessment tool that can be used as part of a blended approach combining multiple data sources for valid estimation of usual dietary intake in large-scale cohort studies. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2014) 68, 324-329; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2013.274; published online 8 January 2014 Keywords: nutritional epidemiology; dietary assessment; statistical modelling Keywords: nutritional epidemiology; dietary assessment; statistical modelling
INTRODUCTION The valid estimation of long-term dietary intake in large-scale cohort studies represents a methodological challenge. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) have long been the instrument of choice. However, FFQs measure [...]