Self-reports Of Diet Research Articles

Shifts in lifestyle and socioeconomic circumstances predict change—for better or worse—in speed of epigenetic aging: A study of middle-aged black women

BackgroundWhile numerous studies have documented the power of new generation epigenetic clocks to predict morbidity and mortality, research regarding the causes of variation in speed of epigenetic aging is in the early stages. To the extent that these epigenetic clocks are robust measures of biological aging, they should be sensitive to various nutritional, behavioral, ecological, and social factors that have been shown to affect health. ObjectiveInvestigate over an 11-year period the extent to which changes in socioeconomic stress and lifestyle predict changes in speed of epigenetic aging among a sample of middle-aged African American women. MethodsUsing data from the Family and Community Health Study, we investigated whether changes in socioeconomic stress, diet, smoking, exercise, alcohol consumption, and relationship status predict changes in speed of biological aging assessed with 3 s-generation epigenetic clocks: AccelGrimAge, DunedinPoAm, and AccelPhenoAge. The study was able to avoid the challenges associated with self-reports of diet and smoking by employing recently developed epigenetic measures. ResultsChanges in socioeconomic stress and diet were associated with changes in speed of biological aging as assessed by all three epigenetic clocks, and changes in smoking was related to changes in AccelGrimAge and DunedinPoAm. Analyses controlling for cell-type indicated that in large measure diet exerts its effect on aging through its impact on the immune system. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that adoption of a healthy diet and reduction in the use of tobacco are related to a decrease in epigenetic aging, whereas increased pressure relating to income, housing and economic independence are associated with an increase in the speed of aging. These effects were especially strong for the two epigenetic clocks AccelGrimAge and DunedinPoAm. Overall, the results indicate that stress and lifestyle changes may, for better or worse, influence the “biological weathering” often experienced by middle-aged African American women.

Allostatic load differs by sex and diet, but not age in older Japanese from the Goto Islands

Background: Lifelong exposure to stressors promotes physiological dysregulation and produces an allostatic load (AL). In European-derived samples, AL associates significantly with sex, age and health.Aim: To assess associations of AL with age, sex, socio-demographic differences and self-reports of diet and ability to complete activities of daily living in older Japanese residing in rural Nagasaki Prefecture.Subjects and methods: In 2011, 96 older residents of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, were assessed for components of AL. They also self-reported their age, principal life-long occupational activity, educational attainments, marital status, dietary choices and abilities to complete daily living activities.Results: Average age was 67.9 years (range = 55–89; SD = 8.65). Among these 48 men and 48 women, AL was not related significantly to age, although women showed lower AL than men. AL did not differ significantly between respondents by occupation, marital status, education or abilities to complete daily activities. Women who reported eating more green/yellow vegetables or consuming more meat had lower AL than their counterparts. Men who reported drinking more alcohol spirits had higher AL.Conclusions: Among older Japanese residing outside a major urban area, AL varies significantly by sex, but not age, while being associated with dietary choices. Although lack of association with life ways was not expected, AL apparently assesses physiological dysregulation cross-culturally.

Use of Recovery Biomarkers to Calibrate Nutrient Consumption Self-Reports in the Women's Health Initiative

Underreporting of energy consumption by self-report is well-recognized, but previous studies using recovery biomarkers have not been sufficiently large to establish whether participant characteristics predict misreporting. In 2004-2005, 544 participants in the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial completed a doubly labeled water protocol (energy biomarker), 24-hour urine collection (protein biomarker), and self-reports of diet (assessed by food frequency questionnaire (FFQ)), exercise, and lifestyle habits; 111 women repeated all procedures after 6 months. Using linear regression, the authors estimated associations of participant characteristics with misreporting, defined as the extent to which the log ratio (self-reported FFQ/nutritional biomarker) was less than zero. Intervention women in the trial underreported energy intake by 32% (vs. 27% in the comparison arm) and protein intake by 15% (vs. 10%). Younger women had more underreporting of energy (p = 0.02) and protein (p = 0.001), while increasing body mass index predicted increased underreporting of energy and overreporting of percentage of energy derived from protein (p = 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Blacks and Hispanics underreported more than did Caucasians. Correlations of initial measures with repeat measures (n = 111) were 0.72, 0.70, 0.46, and 0.64 for biomarker energy, FFQ energy, biomarker protein, and FFQ protein, respectively. Recovery biomarker data were used in regression equations to calibrate self-reports; the potential application of these equations to disease risk modeling is presented. The authors confirm the existence of systematic bias in dietary self-reports and provide methods of correcting for measurement error.

Asthma in Young Children: Prenatal DDE Exposure May Increase Risk

Most countries have banned the agricultural use of the organochlorine insecticide DDT because of the way this persistent, fat-soluble compound accumulates in the food chain. However, DDT is still widely sprayed in developing countries to combat malaria-bearing mosquitoes. Studies have linked exposure to DDT and its persistent metabolite p,p′-DDE to changes in the immune responses of human cells, and to asthma prevalence in children and adults. A longitudinal study now shows that prenatal exposure may provide the fundamental window for asthma susceptibility linked to DDT [EHP 113:1787–1790]. Investigators collected umbilical cord blood from 482 children born on the Spanish island of Menorca and tested 84% for the presence of organochlorine compounds. DDT is not used on Menorca. However, the parents of the children in the study ate relatively large amounts of fish, which can be a source of exposure to DDT residues. According to self-reports of diet on questionnaires, more than half of the mothers ate fish more than twice a week during pregnancy. All of the children tested had p,p′-DDE in their cord serum (the median concentration was 1.03 nanograms per milliliter [ng/mL]). Serum levels tended to be higher in children with older mothers, although the mothers’ fish consumption during pregnancy correlated poorly with the children’s DDE levels. Each child’s serum also contained hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls. The researchers correlated the children’s prenatal exposure to risk of having asthma or atopy at age 4. Asthma was defined as one or more episodes of wheezing in the fourth year alone, one or more episodes of wheezing per year in consecutive years (“persistent wheezing”), or a physician’s diagnosis of asthma. Atopy was defined as having blood levels of specific immunoglobulin E antibodies for dust mites, cats, or grasses. Of the initial participants, 97% provided medical information yearly through age 4 and 75% provided blood samples at age 4; 306 of these samples were tested for antibodies and for peripheral white blood cells, a sign of the underlying inflammation responsible for asthma. Wheezing was reported at age 4 for 11.6% of the children whose blood was tested for organochlorines. In addition, 12.6% of those who gave blood at age 4 had antibodies for the specified allergens in their blood. The risk of wheezing increased with the concentration of p,p′-DDE in the child’s cord serum. Of the children in the lowest quartile of exposure (less than 0.57 ng/mL), 9% reported wheezing compared to 19% of the children in the highest quartile of exposure (more than 1.90 ng/mL). There were no correlations between wheezing in the children and maternal consumption of fish during pregnancy. There was no apparent link between atopy and the relationship between DDT and wheezing; children both with and without atopy had a similar increase of wheeze with increasing p,p′-DDE. The researchers speculate that the lack of an association between DDT exposure and atopy in their study could be due to the young age of the children studied, as sensitization to allergens tends to increase during childhood. There was no correlation between the other organochlorine compounds measured and wheezing or atopy. Further study is needed to determine if the link between DDT and asthma susceptibility is caused by the effect of the insecticide on the immune system or the hormonal system. In addition to its direct impact on immune cells as shown in previous research, p,p′-DDE has also been shown to interfere with hormonal receptors and to mimic estrogen activity, which might indirectly affect immune responses. The researchers suggest that their results be considered when evaluating the risk of spraying DDT in anti-malaria campaigns.

Women in cardiac rehabilitation: Outcomes and identifying risk for dropout

Women are underrepresented in cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Few reports describe outcomes and explore factors that may be barriers to CR participation among women. The purposes of this study were to (1) compare baseline characteristics between women who completed and did not complete CR, (2) identify factors associated with women completing CR, and (3) describe outcomes among completers. Study sample included women (n = 228) with coronary heart disease enrolled in CR at an academic medical center's program (January 1996-August 2003). Baseline differences between completers and noncompleters were compared; multivariate regression analyses identified factors associated with completers. Outcome measures included lipid levels, 6-minute walk distances, body mass index, Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), self-reports of diet, physical activity, smoking, and perceived health status. Mean age was 62 +/- 11 years, 44% were nonwhite, and 42% were stratified as high risk. Dyslipidemia was the most common risk factor (85%) followed by hypertension (81%), low physical activity (74%), obesity (53%), diabetes (39%), and smoking (18%). BDI-II scores were elevated (> or = 14) in 31% of women. In the adjusted multivariate regression model, completers were less likely to be obese (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.28, CI 0.10-0.76, P = .01) or have elevated BDI-II scores (AOR 0.87, CI 0.81-0.95 P = .001) than noncompleters. Completers achieved significant improvements in all outcome measures (all P < .05) except for high-density lipoprotein. Women enrolled in CR had a high risk factor burden and those completing achieved significant benefits. Women not completing CR were more likely to be obese or have depressive symptoms which may serve as barriers to completing CR.

Children's Lunch Recalls: Is Accurate Reporting Of Entree Associated With Increased Overall Accuracy?

Since general memory research suggests that more salient (important or prominent) items are more easily remembered, entree may play a key role in self-reports of diet. We hypothesized that children who accurately report entrees on school lunch would report the remaining items with greater accuracy than children who inaccurately report entrees. Fourth-graders from 4 schools of lower to middle socioeconomic status in one school district were randomly selected, observed eating lunch, and interviewed the next morning (n=140; 14 WM, 16 WF, 58 BM, 52 BF). Items were categorized as entree or not entree. Matches (foods observed and reported eaten), omissions (foods observed eaten but not reported) and intrusions (foods not observed eaten but reported) for the non-entree items were tallied, weighted (condiment=0.25, other meal components=0.75), and corresponding rates calculated. If a child had multiple entrees, credit was given for an accurately reported entree only if all entrees reported were matches. Match rate was defined as matches ÷ (matches+omissions) X 100; intrusion rate was defined as intrusions ÷ (matches+intrusions) X 100. A child's accuracy was deemed “acceptable” if the match rate was ⩾90% and the intrusion rate was ≤10%. Data were analyzed for match rate, intrusion rate, and match and intrusion rates combined. Thirty-one children reported entrees inaccurately while 109 children reported entrees accurately. Four of the inaccurate children (12.9%) and 24 of the accurate children (22.0%) had match rates ≥90% (p>.19, Chi-square). Seventeen of the inaccurate children (54.8%) and 74 of the accurate children (67.9%) had intrusion rates ≤10% (p>.12, Chi-square). Two of the inaccurate children (6.5%) and 19 of the accurate children (17.4%) had both match rates ≥90% and intrusion rates ≤10% (p>.10, Chi-square). In conclusion, results from this study failed to show that children who accurately report school lunch entrees report the remaining items with greater accuracy than children who inaccurately report entrees.

Self-reports of diet: how children remember what they have eaten

Determining how children remember what they have eaten may guide the development of specific cues that help children report their diets more accurately. This research used a cognitive-processing approach to examine fourth graders' self-reports of diet. School lunches were observed to determine what was really eaten and the results of these observations were compared with students' reports of what they had eaten and how they remembered that information. Interviews with individual students conducted within 1.5 h of lunch or the following morning included free and prompted report, although prompting was limited to clarifying details about the items and amounts already reported. For analyses, retrieval responses (what the students said in response to the question "how do you remember you ate--?") were categorized. A single measure of accuracy that reflected omissions and intrusions was calculated by comparing the student's report with the observation record. Results from one study are provided, along with preliminary results from two additional studies. Research questions and future plans are highlighted, including a Delphi technique study to develop a consensus set of categories of retrieval responses. More accurate assessment of children's diets could increase awareness of changes needed to help establish healthful eating habits in childhood to decrease the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood.

‘How Do You Remember You Ate…?’: A Delphi Technique Study to Identify Retrieval Categories From Fourth-Grade Children

Objective To develop and validate a consensus set of retrieval categories for how children remember what they have eaten, and to relate retrieval categories to accuracy of reporting items eaten during school lunch. Design A Delphi technique study was conducted using 10 psychologists. The subject matter consisted of responses transcribed from interviews conducted with 89 randomly selected fourth graders within 90 minutes of eating. Retrieval categories were evaluated for accuracy by comparing students’ self-reported lunch intake with observation. Statistical analyses For round 1, a centroid hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify common sets of rating pairs to propose categories for reaching consensus. For rounds 2 and 3, percent of agreement was calculated. Accuracy was tabulated across meal items and student use by retrieval category. Results After round 3, we found that 23 “near-consensus”categories were used by at least eight raters. Six categories were used 60% of the time, 4 were used 20% of the time, and 5 were used 15% of the time. Less frequently used categories were combined with similar, more frequently used categories for a total of 16 categories. Students used a large variety of retrieval categories when accurately reporting consumption. Of the 16 categories, 12 were used similarly by both accurate and inaccurate students. Where there were differences in accuracy by retrieval category, the more accurate students used “taste/smell/texture”and “visual”in deference to “order items consumed”and “oral cue still present.” Applications These categories provide insight into the broad range of retrieval categories that children use and provide direction for researchers to design and study specific cues to enhance the accuracy of children's self-reports of diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:31–36.

“How Do You Remember You Ate … ?” a Delphi Technique Study to Identify Retrieval Categories from Fourth-Grade Children

LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify retrieval categories used by children to remember what they have eaten.The purpose of this study was to identify categories for how children remember what they have eaten, and to relate retrieval categories to accuracy of reporting items eaten on school lunch. A Delphi technique study with 3 rounds was conducted with 10 psychologists as raters to establish retrieval categories which were then evaluated for accuracy by comparing self-reported intake to observation. Responses were extracted from transcripts of interviews conducted with 89 randomly selected 4th-graders (13 white M, 12 white F, 29 black M, 35 black F) recruited from all 16 4th-grade classes from 3 schools. Students were observed eating lunch, and interviewed within 1.5 hours. For Round 1, centroid hierarchical clustering was used to categorize common sets of responses identified by raters. For Round 2, percent agreement among raters was calculated. For Round 3, “near-consensus” retrieval categories were identified as those used by ≥ 8 raters. Reported use of retrieval categories was tabulated by matches for accurate vs. inaccurate students. Results indicated 23 “near-consensus” categories. Six categories (taste/smell/texture, usual practice, portion left, visual, “I just remembe”, semantic preferences) accounted for 59% of responses; 4 (episodic preferences, interactions with others, eating procedure, amount eaten) accounted for another 20%; 5 (oral cue, label, order items eaten, menu, physiological cue) accounted for another 15%; and 8 were rarely used. Less frequently used categories were combined with similar, more frequently used ones, leaving 16 categories. Students used a large variety of retrieval categories when accurately reporting consumption. Categories with differing reported use by accurate vs. inaccurate students were taste/smell/texture (13 vs. 6%), visual (11 vs. 5%), order items eaten (4 vs. 9%), and oral cue (6 vs. 11%), respectively. These categories provide direction for researchers to design specific cues to enhance the accuracy of children's self-reports of diet.

How Children Remember What They Have Eaten for School Lunch: Same Day Versus Previous Day Recall

Although achievement of many of the Healthy People Year 2000 nutrition objectives will be determined by dietary assessment, methods for assessing diet are weak, especially for children. Children's self-reports of diet are necessary because parents do not know what children eat at school. Self-reports rely on memory, which is subject to error. Research concerning memory and dietary assessment is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare how 4th-graders remember items and amounts eaten at the school lunch the same day with how other 4th-graders remember items and amounts eaten at the school lunch the previous day. Students from 1 6 classes at 3 schools were randomly selected, observed eating lunch, and interviewed within 2 hours after eating (n = 89) or the following morning (n= 16). Interviews were audio-recorded and included free report, cognitive aspects of free report, prompted report, and cognitive aspects of prompted report. For analyses, responses obtained during each of the two cognitive phases (free, prompted) from same day interviews were grouped according to item, detail, and amount, and categorized into 14 categories of responses (preferences, smell/taste imagery, texture imagery, visual imagery, usual practice, food-related events, read label, read menu, behavior chaining, amount eaten, weight of container, physiological cues, other, unable to verbalize). The process was repeated for next day reports. Chi-square analyses were conducted with the individual student as the unit of analysis. Usual practice was more commonly used during next day than same day recalls for items freely reported (81 % vs. 40%, p<.003), and for items reported after prompting (25% vs. 0%, p<.01). Preferences was reported by more students during next day than same day recalls for amounts freely reported (73% vs. 39%, p<.04). Food-related events (e.g., spill or stain on clothes or body) was more commonly used during next day than same day recalls for details freely reported (14% vs. 0%, p<.02). Texture imagery was more common during next day than same day recalls for details reported after prompting (15% vs. 3%, p<.05). Read the menu was more commonly used during next day than same day recalls for details reported after prompting (31 % vs. 10%, p<.04). The inability to verbalize how the information was remembered was more common during same day than next day recalls for items freely recalled (24% vs. 0%, p<.03). Enhanced understanding of how children remember what they have eaten may aid in the design of cues to improve the accuracy of children's self-reports of diet. More accurate dietary self-reports could facilitate assessment of the Year 2000 nutrition objectives.

A cognitive model of children's reporting of food intake

A model of cognitive processing is proposed to understand children's self-reports of diet. The model is a simplification of what is known about cognitive processing and includes three structural components: sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Several processes describe functioning of the model, including attention, perception (or interpretation), organization, retention, retrieval, and response formulation. The ideas explain several phenomena in the literature on children's self-reports of dietary intake. Research questions are identified for each process to help specify the model and lead to improved methods for dietary assessment in children.

The accuracy of children's self-reports of diet: Family Health Project

This study was designed to test the accuracy of four different methods for enabling children in the third to sixth grades to record their frequency of consumption of foods high in any of four targeted nutrients. The forms varied in two ways: recording the whole day or a segment of the day (morning, afternoon, or evening) or use or non-use of pictures of the food items. The accuracy of the children's recording of food consumption was validated by observation of their behavior for 2 continuous 12-hour days. Twenty-four children in the third to sixth grades were observed for each of the 2 days. An 82.9% agreement was obtained between the child's self-reported food frequency and the observer's record of the child's consumption. Ethnicity slightly affected the accuracy of form completion, while gender and grade level of the children did not. The results of this study validate the accuracy with which children record diet using a food frequency of consumption method.