Assessment of Dietary Intake Estimation Using a Simple Questionnaire Method

Abstract

We developed a simple questionnaire method for estimation of individual daily nutrient intake, and compared it with the weighing method within one group of participants. Estimates of the amounts rice, bread, potatoes, green vegetables and meat consumed were the same for each method. Energy, protein, fiber, calcium and potassium intake was also the same. However, estimates of fat, iron, sodium and vitamin A, B1 and C intake were significantly lower for the simple questionnaire method than the actual intakes determined by the weighing method. Urinary excretion rates of sodium and potassium were 81.0%, and 86.9%, respectively. The correlation coefficients for energy intake and protein intake between the two methods were 0.759 (p<0.001) and 0.586 (p<0.001), respectively. These results suggest that the simple questionnaire method can be applied to extensive epidemiological studies and to individual surveys for estimation of daily nutrient intake.