Abstract
The development of easy-to-use and accurate methods to assess the intake of energy, foods and nutrients in pre-school children is needed. KidMeal-Q is an online food frequency questionnaire developed for the LifeGene prospective cohort study in Sweden. The aims of this study were to compare: (i) energy intake (EI) obtained using KidMeal-Q to total energy expenditure (TEE) measured via doubly labelled water and (ii) the intake of certain foods measured using KidMeal-Q to intakes acquired by means of 24 h dietary recalls in 38 children aged 5.5 years. The mean EI calculated using KidMeal-Q was statistically different (p < 0.001) from TEE (4670 ± 1430 kJ/24 h and 6070 ± 690 kJ/24 h, respectively). Significant correlations were observed for vegetables, fruit juice and candy between KidMeal-Q and 24 h dietary recalls. Only sweetened beverage consumption was significantly different in mean intake (p < 0.001), as measured by KidMeal-Q and 24 h dietary recalls. In conclusion, KidMeal-Q had a relatively short answering time and comparative validity to other food frequency questionnaires. However, its accuracy needs to be improved before it can be used in studies in pre-school children.
Highlights
Diet is just as important in children as in adults, and possibly even more so because the habits developed in the early years often persist throughout the lifespan [1]
The specific aims of this nested validation study are to compare: (i) energy intake (EI) obtained using KidMeal-Q to total energy expenditure (TEE) measured via doubly labelled water (DLW) and (ii) the intake of certain foods measured using KidMeal-Q to intakes acquired by means of 24 h dietary recalls in 38 children aged 5.5 years
A total of 40 parent couples and their children agreed to participate in a validation of dietary intake [11], body composition [12], and physical activity methods at the final follow-up assessment, which began in February 2015 when their children were 5.5 years of age
Summary
Diet is just as important in children as in adults, and possibly even more so because the habits developed in the early years often persist throughout the lifespan [1]. Being able to measure diet in pre-school children is important since childhood obesity often continues into adulthood [2]. An unhealthy diet is a contributing risk factor for some of the most common non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer [3]. In order to investigate the relationships between diet and disease it is imperative to be able to and accurately measure energy and food intake, especially in large epidemiological settings
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
