Validation of a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire administered in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study: comparison of energy, protein, and macronutuient intakes estimatedwith the doubly labeled water, urinary nitrogen, and repeated 24-h dietaryrecall methods

Background: The validation of dietary assessment instruments is critical in the evaluation of diet as a chronic disease risk factor. Objective: The objective was to assess the validity of a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire by comparison with dietary recall, urinary nit rogen excretion, and total energy expenditure data. Design: Over a 1-y period, data from twelve 24-h dietary recalls, a food-fr equency questionnaire, and four 24-h urine samples were obtained from 134 s tudy participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study in Potsdam, Germany. In a substudy of 28 participan ts, total energy expenditure from doubly labeled water measurements was ass essed. Results: Energy-adjusted, deattenuated correlation coefficients between the questionnaire and the recalls ranged from 0.54 for dietary fiber to 0.86 f or alcohol. Cross-classification of quintiles of nutrient intakes from the questionnaire and recalls indicated severe misclassification to be <4%. Rep orted protein intake correlated with estimated protein excretion (r = 0.46) . Energy intake and total energy expenditure were also significantly correl ated (r = 0.48); however, all but one subject underreported their energy in take. The magnitude of underreporting varied considerably, by 22% on averag e, and increased slightly with increasing energy intake. A similar pattern of underreporting was observed when energy intakes from the 24-h dietary re calls were compared with total energy expenditure. Conclusions: These data indicate an acceptable relative validity of the foo d-frequency questionnaire in this study population. Compared with measureme nts of total energy expenditure and protein excretion, however, only modera te agreement with both the food-frequency questionnaire and the 24-h dietar y recalls was observed.