Oral Presentation 49th Nutrition Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2025

Reproducibility and relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire for Australian women of childbearing age: A pilot validation study (129989)

June Ooi 1 2 , Clare Collins 1 2 , Melinda Hutchesson 1 2 , Rachael Taylor 1 2 , Sasha Fenton 1 2 , Madelein Hinwood 3 4
  1. School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
  2. Food and Nutrition Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights,, NSW 2305, Australia
  3. Data Science, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
  4. School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia

Currently, there is no food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that has been validated in Australia to assess both nutrient intake and food safety practices in pregnant women (1). Validation of FFQ for use in pregnant women is important given the specific nutritional requirements and increased food safety risks during pregnancy, particularly listeriosis, as compared with the general population. Additionally, many pregnancies in Australia are unplanned, and preconception nutrition is strongly linked to positive pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, the Pregnancy-Australian Eating Survey (Preg-AES) FFQ was developed to assess dietary intake and food safety practices among women of childbearing age in Australia. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate the preliminary outcomes of reproducibility and relative validity of nutrient intakes derived from the Preg-AES FFQ against 24-hour dietary recalls (24HRs) and weighed food records (WFRs) among women of childbearing age in Australia and, (2) evaluate the preliminary outcomes of reproducibility of food safety practices of the Preg-AES FFQ, and (3) assess the feasibility and acceptability of the validation methodology. The Preg-AES FFQ was adapted from the validated AES FFQ (2), consists of 127 questions, with an additional ten questions related to dietary intakes of foods potentially harbouring Listeria monocytogenes and 27 questions on safe food handling practices. The FFQ was administered twice, three months apart to assess reproducibility, and compared with mean intakes from three-day WFR and three-day 24HR, respectively, to assess relative validity. All nutrients were adjusted using the nutrient density method. Reproducibility of nutrient intakes and food safety practices were measured using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted kappa. Relative validity was assessed using Pearson correlations and Bland-Altman plots. Feasibility was described from recruitment and follow-up data. Acceptability was analysed using frequency data, via closed- and open-ended responses at three months. At baseline, 51 participants were included (mean age 27.3 ± 6.8; 66.7% Australian-born; 33.3% university-educated). Reproducibility testing included n = 35; relative validity testing included n = 29 (WFR) and n = 36 (24HR). Preliminary reproducibility results indicated ICCs ranged from 0.133 (thiamine) to 0.725 (protein). Preliminary relative validity coefficients confirmed that the Preg-AES FFQ had moderate validity against WFR and relatively lower validity against 24HR. Preliminary acceptability findings showed 91–97% of participants were satisfied with the administration of all dietary assessment methods and in-person sessions. This pilot study may inform a larger validation study in a representative Australian sample, to enhance the accuracy of the Preg-AES FFQ as a dietary assessment tool in clinical and research settings in Australia to optimise perinatal health outcomes.

 

  1. 1.Bezerra AR, Tenório MCdS, de Souza BG et al. (2023) Food Frequency Questionnaires developed and validated for pregnant women: systematic review. Nutrition, 111979.
  2. 2. Collins CE, Boggess MM, Watson JF et al. (2014) Reproducibility and comparative validity of a food frequency questionnaire for Australian adults. Clin Nutr 33, 906-914.