Estimating food and nutrient intake from food frequency questionnaire databy reference to a standard weighed diet survey

Introduction The food frequency questionnaire is widely regarded as more ap propriate for ranking and grouping individuals according to levels of nutri ent intake than for estimating absolute nutrient amounts. Aims To develop a method for estimation of amount of nutrient intake from f ood frequency questionnaires by reference to an independent weighed dietary survey. Method Six stages of the method are described and illustrated in the estima tion of total dietary fat from the 1984-85 Health and Lifestyle Survey usin g the 1986-87 Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults as the refer ence standard. Results Several points support the validity of the approach limitations are identified.