VALIDATION OF A SHORT FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRE TO ASSESS CALCIUM INTAKE IN CHILDREN AGED 3 TO 6 YEARS

Objective: To assess the validity of a short calcium food frequency qu estionnaire (FFQ) for use in young children. Design: Calcium intake fr om an estimated 4 d diet record (4DDR) was compared with the calcium i ntake from a 35 item FFQ specifically designed to assess habitual calc ium intake and previously validated for adult women. Subjects: Forty-o ne girls and 26 boys aged 3-6 y recruited by advertisement for studies of nutrition and bone health. Results: Mean (s.d.) calcium intakes we re 798 mg (271) and 942 mg (419) for the 4DDR and FFQ respectively, (r = 0.52). Mean difference (s.d. of difference) in calcium intake betwe en the two methods was 144 mg (355), showing that the FFQ may estimate calcium intakes 565 mg below to 854 mg above diet record values. 84% of subjects when classified by the 4DDR fell into the same or adjacent quartiles when classified by the FFQ. Only two subjects were classifi ed in extreme quartiles for the two methods. The FFQ correctly identif ied 68% of children with recorded intakes less than 800 mg. Conclusion s: The short calcium FFQ tended to overestimate actual calcium intakes in young children, and would not be appropriate for determining calci um intake of individuals. However, the FFQ demonstrated good ability t o classify subjects into extremes of calcium intake. Moreover, the pre dictive value of the FFQ in identifying children with intakes below th e current recommended intake of 800 mg was reasonably high (79%).