Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Assessing Fatty Acid Intake in Latvian Pregnant Women

TL;DR

This study validated a food frequency questionnaire for measuring fatty acid intake in Latvian pregnant women, finding it reliable for future research.

Contribution

The study provides a validated FFQ tailored for fatty acid intake assessment in Latvian pregnant women.

Findings

The FFQ showed statistically significant correlations for most fatty acids (p < 0.05).

The FFQ is reliable for epidemiological studies on fatty acid intake during pregnancy.

Tetracosanoic acid was the only fatty acid with a non-significant correlation.

Abstract

Objectives: During pregnancy, fat intake is crucial for fetal development and optimal outcomes, and validation instruments are essential for assessing dietary composition and nutrient intake. The aim of this research was to validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) against a 7-day food record (FR) to measure fatty acid consumption during pregnancy. Methods: From July 2020 to June 2023, 138 women at 27–40 weeks’ gestation with a mean age of 31.5 ± 4.9 years were enrolled. Data were collected from medical records; an FFQ; a questionnaire gathering data on demographics, anthropometrics, health status, lifestyle, and use of food supplements at outpatient clinics; and a 7-day food record. Correlations between FA intakes from the FFQ and 7-day FR were assessed using Spearman’s rank-order correlation. Results: For the FFQ, correlation values ranged from 0.108 to 0.527, and all were statistically significant (p < 0.05) except for tetracosanoic acid. Conclusions: The developed FFQ is an accurate, valid instrument for assessing fatty acid (FA) intake among Latvian pregnant women and is reliable for future use in epidemiological studies.