Comparison of 4 questionnaires for assessment of fruit and vegetable intake

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 88; no. 8; pp. 1216 - 1218
• Main Authors: Field, A E, Colditz, G A, Fox, M K, Byers, T, Serdula, M, Bosch, R J, Peterson, K E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01.08.1998; American Public Health Association
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Assessment; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Comparative studies; Diet; Environment. Living conditions; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food; Fruit; Fruit juices; Fruits; Humans; Intake; Male; Medical sciences; Nutrition; Nutrition Surveys; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Students; Surveillance; Surveys and Questionnaires; USA; Vegetables; United States; North America; America; Human; Performance evaluation; Questionnaire; Fruit; Methodology; Diet; Adolescent; Comparative study; Vegetable; Public health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.88.8.1216

OBJECTIVE: This study compared fruit and vegetable assessments derived from 4 self-administered questionnaires. METHODS: Among 102 adolescents, servings of fruits and vegetables assessed by 4 questionnaires were compared with estimates from 24-hour recalls. RESULTS: The prevalence of consuming 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day was underestimated by the questionnaires. Questionnaires asking subjects to recall their diet over the previous year were more effective in ranking subjects (r's > or = .42) than those assessing previous-day diet (r's > or = .30). CONCLUSIONS: Brief assessments of fruit and vegetable intake are more useful for ranking subjects than for estimating prevalence of consumption of 5 or more servings per day.