Abstract
BackgroundThe dietary nutritional status of the lactating mothers is related to maternal health and has a significant impact on the growth and development of infants through the secretion of breast milk. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is the most cost-effective dietary assessment method that can help obtain information on the usual dietary pattern of participants. Until now, the FFQs have been used for different populations in China, but there are few FFQs available for the lactating mothers. We aimed to develop a semi-quantitative, 156-item FFQ for the Chinese lactating mothers, and evaluate its reproducibility and relative validity.MethodsA total of 112 lactating mothers completed two FFQs and one 3-d dietary record (3DR). The first FFQ (FFQ1) was conducted during postpartum at 60–65 days and the second FFQ (FFQ2) during subsequent follow-up at 5 weeks. The 3DR was completed with portion sizes assessed using photographs taken by the respondent before and after eating (instant photography) 1 week after FFQ1.ResultsFor reproducibility, the Spearman’s correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.34 to 0.68, and for nutrients from 0.25 to 0.61. Meanwhile, the intra-class correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.48 to 0.87, and for nutrients from 0.27 to 0.70. For relative validity, the Spearman’s correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.32 to 0.56, and for nutrients from 0.23 to 0.72. The energy-adjusted coefficients for food ranged from 0.26 to 0.55, and for nutrients from 0.22 to 0.47. Moreover, the de-attenuation coefficients for food ranged from 0.34 to 0.67, and for nutrients from 0.28 to 0.77. The Bland-Altman plots also showed reasonably acceptable agreement between the two methods.ConclusionsThis FFQ is a reasonably reproducible and a relative valid tool for assessing dietary intake of the Chinese lactating mothers.
Highlights
The dietary nutritional status of the lactating mothers is related to maternal health and has a significant impact on the growth and development of infants through the secretion of breast milk
Reproducibility The median daily intake of food groups from the FFQ1 and FFQ2 showed that consumption of cereals and cereal products, potatoes, beans and legume products, milk, and nuts was higher, whereas that of vegetables, fruits, meat, aquatic products, and eggs was lower, when estimated by FFQ2 than by FFQ1
We assessed the reproducibility and relative validity of a semi-quantitative 156-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which was designed to evaluate the dietary intake of the lactating mothers in China
Summary
The dietary nutritional status of the lactating mothers is related to maternal health and has a significant impact on the growth and development of infants through the secretion of breast milk. A balanced diet can ensure adequate supply of energy and nutrients; otherwise, it will have a significant impact on maternal health and infant growth and development. Breast milk is the most ideal food that provides sufficient energy and nutrients to ensure their growth and development. Studies have shown that maternal diet is an important factor affecting the secretion and composition of breast milk, especially water-soluble vitamins and some minerals [9, 10]. Mothers should be informed of what constitutes a healthy diet and the potential risks of nutrient deficiencies in achieving an optimal nutritional status during lactation
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