Validation of a food frequency questionnaire for Japanese pregnant women with and without nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy

Kohei Ogawa; Seung-Chik Jwa; Minatsu Kobayashi; Naho Morisaki; Haruhiko Sago; Takeo Fujiwara

doi:10.1016/j.je.2016.06.004

Validation of a food frequency questionnaire for Japanese pregnant women with and without nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy

J Epidemiol. 2017 May;27(5):201-208. doi: 10.1016/j.je.2016.06.004. Epub 2017 Feb 20.

Authors

Kohei Ogawa¹, Seung-Chik Jwa², Minatsu Kobayashi³, Naho Morisaki⁴, Haruhiko Sago⁵, Takeo Fujiwara⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; Center of Maternal-fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; Collaborative Departments of Advanced Pediatric Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
² Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; Center of Maternal-fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.
³ Department of Food Science, Otsuma Women's University, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ Center of Maternal-fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; Collaborative Departments of Advanced Pediatric Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁶ Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: fujiwara-tk@ncchd.go.jp.

Abstract

Background: No previous study has shown the validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in early pregnancy with consideration of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of a FFQ in early pregnancy for Japanese pregnant women.

Method: We included 188 women before 15 weeks of gestation and compared estimated nutrient intake and food group intake based on a modified FFQ with that based on 3-day dietary records (DRs). Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, adjusting energy intake and attenuating within-person error, were calculated. Subgroup analysis for those with and without NVP was conducted. We also examined the degree of appropriate classification across categories between FFQ and DRs through division of consumption of nutrients and food groups into quintiles.

Results: Crude Spearman's correlation coefficients of nutrients ranged from 0.098 (sodium) to 0.401 (vitamin C), and all of the 36 nutrients were statistically significant. In 27 food groups, correlation coefficients ranged from -0.015 (alcohol) to 0.572 (yogurt), and 81% were statistically significant. In subgroup analysis, correlation coefficients in 89% of nutrients and 70% of food groups in women with NVP and 97% of nutrients and 74% of food groups in women without NVP were statistically significant. On average, 63.7% of nutrients and 60.4% of food groups were classified into same or adjacent quintiles according to the FFQ and DRs.

Conclusions: The FFQ is a useful instrument, regardless of NVP, for assessing the diet of women in early pregnancy in Japan.

Keywords: Food frequency questionnaire; Japan; Nausea; Pregnancy; Validation.

MeSH terms

Adult
Asian People*
Body Mass Index
Cohort Studies
Diet Records*
Diet Surveys
Energy Intake*
Feeding Behavior
Female
Humans
Japan
Middle Aged
Morning Sickness*
Nutrition Assessment
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, First
Pregnant Women
Prospective Studies
Reproducibility of Results
Surveys and Questionnaires*