Using EuroFIR eSearch platform - for design of food frenquency questionnaires and quantification of nutrient intake: applications in ophthalmic epidemiology

Camacho, Pedro; Matos, Ana Sofia; Goulão, Beatriz; Mendes, Lino; Roe, Mark; Finglas, Paul; Castanheira, Isabel

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/587

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Abstract(s)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the major cause of legal blindness for older adults in Europe. The role of nutritional factors in the prevention of this disease is still inconclusive in part due to difficulties to assess dietary intake. In this study the EuroFIR eSearch platform was used to adapt and prepare a questionnaire to study the relationship between habitual diet and AMD. The design and construction of the food list and nutrients of interest was based on a literature review. The EuroFIR eSearch platform was used to identify key foods that contain significant amounts of relevant nutrients and bioactive compounds. A questionnaire was designed to assess the dietary intake of the following nutrients: Vitamin A, Beta Carotene, Lutein/zeaxanthin, Lycopene, Vitamin E, Folate, Vitamin C, Zinc, Omega 3 fatty acids, Resveratrol. A food list with more than 90 foods including fish, vegetables and fruits was prepared based on the national food composition databases (nFCDB), Phenol-explorer (Database on polyphenol contents in foods) and EuroFIR e-BASIS (BioActive Substances in Food Plants Information System). Links to nFCDB across the world were obtained through the EuroFIR eSearch platform and values were assigned to food components taking into account the geographic origin of the food and the value in the corresponding nFCDB. The EuroFIR eSearch platform is a valuable tool that can be used to design food frequency questionnaires and validate food composition data used for nutrient intake calculation. It is particularly relevant to identification and validation of food composition data for use with customized FFQs.