Validation Information: Short Food List (Total fat & Fatty acid)
Rohrmann 2003
Validation of a short questionnaire to qualitatively assess the intake of total fat, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and cholesterol
Background:To validate a self-administered 20-item short questionnaire (SQ) for classifying individuals according to their intake of total fat, saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), as well as cholesterol.
Methods:The SQ was sent to a randomly selected subsample of 300 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) in Heidelberg. The SQ was sent back by 244 participants (52.5% women, 47.5% men). Intake of total fat, SFA, MUFA, PUFA, and cholesterol was calculated from a 148-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The intake was compared with the scores computed from the SQ.
Results:Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the intake estimated from the FFQ and the score from the SQ ranged from r ¼ 0.29 (PUFA) to r ¼ 0.56 (cholesterol). When the participants were assigned to quartiles of intake according to both methods 29– 42% were classified into the same quartile, 1–7% of the participants were grossly misclassified.
Conclusions:The SQ demonstrated a good validity with respect to SFA and cholesterol and an acceptable validity with respect to total fat and MUFA, while the results are less good for PUFA. The SQ can be used to classify persons according to their intake into categories of intake.
Total number of nutrients validated: 5
Not all of the nutrients validated in the validation studies are included in the table below, as statistical data was only selected to be displayed for a number of nutrients, this included:
- Energy
- Fat
- Saturated Fat
- Mono-unsaturated Fat
- Poly-unsaturated Fat
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
- Sugar
- Non‐starch polysaccharides(NSP)
- Sodium
- Calcium
- Iron
- Zinc
- Retinol
- Folate
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C
- Fruit & Vegetables
- Urinary Nitrogen
To find information on the other validated nutrients please read the validation study.
- Macronutrients: 5
- Micronutrients: 0
| Comparator | Lifestage | Sex | Nutrient Measured | Mean Difference | Standard Deviation | Correlation Coefficient | Cohen's Kappa Coefficient | Percentage Agreement | Percentage Agreement Categories | Lower Limits of Agreement | Upper Limits of Agreement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Frequency Questionnaire | Adults | Both | Fat (g) | 0.26 (P) | 34 | 4 | |||||
| Saturated Fat (g) | 0.28 (P) | 32 | 4 | ||||||||
| MUFA (g) | 0.31 (P) | 33 | 4 | ||||||||
| PUFA (g) | 0.20 (P) | 31 | 4 |
Some results have been calculated using statistical techniques based on the published data.
For further information on statistical terms click on Statistical tests used in validation studies
All correlations coefficients in the table are unadjusted unless stated otherwise. For adjusted correlation coefficients and other statistical methods used in the study e.g. paired t-tests, please read the validation articles.
- # Adjusted
- † Energy adjusted.
- ‡ For loge-transformed, energy-adjusted nutrient intakes.
- ^ Adjacent included.
- ᵟ Participants provided identical responses.
- (w) = Weighted.
Rohrmann S, Klein G. Validation of a short questionnaire to qualitatively assess the intake of total fat, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and cholesterol. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association. 2003;16(2):111-7. assess the intake of total fat, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and cholesterol. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 16:111-117.