Systematic errors in middle-aged women's estimates of energy intake: comparing three self-report measures to total energy expenditure from doubly labeled water.

Full Abstract

PURPOSE:
To evaluate energy intake (EI) derived from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), seven-day dietary recall (7DDR), and seven 24-hour dietary recall interviews (24HR) for reporting errors associated with social desirability and social approval.

METHODS:
The FFQ and 7DDR were administered once before and once after a 14-day metabolic period during which total energy expenditure was determined using the doubly labeled water method (TEE(dlw)). Seven 24HR were conducted over the 14-day period. Data obtained from 80 healthy women (mean age = 49.1 years) were fit to linear regression models in which the EI estimates were the dependent variables and estimates of social desirability and social approval traits, body mass index [weight (kg)/ height (m)(2)], and TEE(dlw) were fit as independent variables.

RESULTS:
indicated that in college-educated women there was an underestimate associated with social desirability on the FFQ (-42.24 kcal/day/point on the social desirability scale; 95% CI:-75.48, -9.00). For college-educated women with an average social desirability score ( approximately 17 points) this would equal an underestimate of 507 kcal/day compared to women with the minimum score (4 points). The 7DDR was associated with a differential effect of social approval when comparing by education; i.e., there was a difference of 36.35 kcal/day/point between the two groups (-14.69 in women with >/=college and 21.66 in women with <college) (95%

CI:
10.25, 62.45).

CONCLUSIONS:
Social desirability and social approval distort energy intake estimates from structured questionnaires, in a manner that appears to vary by educational status. Results observed have important implications for subject recruitment, data collection, and for methods of detection and control of biases in epidemiologic studies.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Hebert, James R (JR); Ebbeling, Cara B (CB); Matthews, Charles E (CE); Hurley, Thomas G (TG); MA, Yunsheng (Y); Druker, Susan (S); Clemow, Lynn (L);

Affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Nutrition Research Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. jherbert(-atsign-)sph.sc.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Multicenter Study

Journal: Annals of epidemiology (Ann Epidemiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Nov; vol 12 (issue 8) : pp 577-86

Dates: Created 2002/12/23; Completed 2003/03/03; Revised 2008/06/23;

PMID: 12495831, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aged
Anthropometry
Bias (Epidemiology)
Energy Intake
Female
Food Habits - psychology
Humans
Interviews as Topic

Associated Chemicals: Water (7732-18-5)

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.