Development and validation of an electronic FFQ to assess food intake in the Slovene population

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate an electronic FFQ that estimates the food and nutrient intakes, especially fat intake, in a healthy, adult population from the coastal (Mediterranean) part of Slovenia. DESIGN: A new electronic FFQ was developed for a survey entitled 'A multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of obesity', conducted at the University of Primorska, and validated against a 3 d weighed food record (FR). SETTING: Coastal region of Slovenia. SUBJECTS: Our study population included eighty-five healthy adults aged 25-49 years, recruited from the local coastal region of Slovenia. Intakes of food groups, macronutrients and energy, estimated by the FR and the FFQ, were compared using correlation coefficients, cross-classification and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: The mean value of most nutrient intakes tended to be higher in the FFQ compared with the FR, except for carbohydrate, fibre and energy. Regression analysis demonstrated an acceptable agreement between the FFQ and FR. The FFQ was moderately correlated with the FR (0·30-0·54), and most of the correlations increased after energy adjustment and after de-attenuation. Relatively high (more than 70 %) proportions of participants were correctly classified into the same or an adjacent quartile. Bland-Altman analysis confirmed an acceptable level of agreement between the two methods. CONCLUSIONS: The electronic FFQ, developed for a healthy adult Slovene population from the coastal region, was shown to be a valid tool to assess food group and nutrient intakes, especially fat intakes, and to rank individuals by their intakes within gene-nutrient studies.