What is a food frequency questionnaire?
Of the tools used to assess intake, the food frequency questionnaire uses the least amount of interview time. Caregivers complete a questionnaire (usually a checklist) identifying which foods their child eats, as well as estimating the amount of food eaten in a specified amount of time; e.g., day, week. This method often overestimates a childs intake. It is useful as a screening tool for assessing the dietary intakes of groups of people. Because it is not time consuming, parents are often more willing to complete a food frequency questionnaire than a food record.
