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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04202107

Dietary Assessment in Rwanda - Food Frequency Questionnaire

The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Rwanda is adding to the health burden in the country which is facing the nutritional transition and the double burden of malnutrition. Diet is an established risk factor in NCDs, hence the importance to assess accurately the changes in dietary habits occurring in the population. The objective is to develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire in Rwanda.

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Key information

Conditions

Dietary Assessment

Age range

18 year–49 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Rwanda

Kigali, Rwanda

About this study

In many developing countries, including Rwanda, the lack of developed and validated questionnaires is among major challenges for dietary assessment in nutritional surveys. Questionnaires are mostly borrowed from other communities. This can increase the error range due to low adaptation to local context, especially when they are not validated and may not have similar objectives. One Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) does not capture dietary history in two different countries or regions, unless their diets are similar. Besides, the diet changes with time, where new foods are introduced in diet and others may disappear. In Rwanda, one FFQ has been developed to cover only the eastern part of the country, but none for the entire country (Cade et al., 2001; FAO, 2018). It is then very important to develop and validate an update and general FFQ that can be used across the country to measure the dietary intake to have a better interpretation of the study findings from the Rwandan context.

The overall objective is to develop and validate a semi-quantitative FFQ that can be used to assess the food and nutrient intake in urban and rural communities of Rwanda.

Specific objectives include:

  • To collect data on diet intake of selected participants by using a 24-H recall questionnaire that includes pictures on the approximate quantities consumed in each occasion.
  • To develop a list of food items from commonly consumed food by study participants using the compiled 24-h recall questionnaire to use for an FFQ development. Additionally, an open question format to collect information on foods consumed during social gathering and festivals will be used to include unreported foods. FFQ shall include additionally the food portion size, and the frequency of intake over a reference period of one year.
  • To assess the accuracy of the developed FFQ in estimating energy and nutrient intake using the 24-H dietary recall as a benchmark of accuracy.

Who can participate

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Permanent residence of the selected urban or rural villages
  • Holding a valid health insurance card
  • Aged between 18 and 49 years
  • Signing informed consent form
  • Familiar with the diet and cooking practices
  • Registration in city demographic system, since study participants will be selected from population registration cards at village level,
  • Accept enumerators for home visit and data collection for one year

Exclusion criteria

  • Mental disorders such as clinically diagnosed depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and addictive behaviors

Treatment and study plan

Food Frequency Questionnaire

Other

Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are a common method for measuring dietary intake in large epidemiological studies, in particular in low literacy settings were diaries and food history would not be viable.

24 Hour food recall

Other

Standardized and validated approach of collecting all foods, beverages, and supplements consumed during the past 24 hours

Primary outcomes

  1. Median proportion of energy intake from carbohydrates assessed by the 24 hour recalls

    Time frame: One year

    Median proportion of energy intake from carbohydrates (starch from grains and tubers such as corn, pasta, rice, potatoes, breads), natural sugars from fruits and juices, and added sugars found in soft drinks, candy, fruit drinks, and desserts) assessed by the 24 hour recalls Adults should get 45 percent to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates

  2. Median proportion of energy intake from carbohydrates assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire

    Time frame: One year

    Median proportion of energy intake from carbohydrates (starch from grains and tubers such as corn, pasta, rice, potatoes, breads), natural sugars from fruits and juices, and added sugars found in soft drinks, candy, fruit drinks, and desserts) assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire.

    Adults should get 45 percent to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates

  3. Median proportion of energy intake from fat assessed by the 24 hour recalls

    Time frame: One year

    Median proportion of energy intake from fat (Butter, margarine, vegetable oils, whole milk, visible fat on meat and poultry products, invisible fat in fish, shellfish, some plant products such as seeds and nuts, and bakery products) assessed by the 24 hour recalls.

    Adults should get 20 percent to 35 percent of their calories from fat

  4. Median proportion of energy intake from fat assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire

    Time frame: One year

    Median proportion of energy intake from fat (Butter, margarine, vegetable oils, whole milk, visible fat on meat and poultry products, invisible fat in fish, shellfish, some plant products such as seeds and nuts, and bakery products) assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire.

    Adults should get 20 percent to 35 percent of their calories from fat

  5. Median proportion of energy intake from proteins assessed by the 24 hour recalls

    Time frame: One year

    Median proportion of energy intake from proteins (from animal sources, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt; and proteins from plants, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables) assessed by the 24 hour recalls.

    Adults should get 10 to 35 percent of their calories from protein

  6. Median proportion of energy intake from proteins assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire

    Time frame: One year

    Median proportion of energy intake from proteins (from animal sources, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt; and proteins from plants, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables) assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire.

    Adults should get 10 to 35 percent of their calories from protein

  7. Median daily intake of fibers assessed by the 24 hour recalls

    Time frame: One year

    Median daily intake of fibers (in gram; Includes dietary fiber naturally present in grains, such as found in oats, wheat, or unmilled rice; and functional fiber synthesized or isolated from plants or animals) assessed by the 24 hour recalls.

    The recommended intake for total fiber for adults 50 years and younger is set at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women

  8. Median daily intake of fibers assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire

    Time frame: One year

    Median daily intake of fibers (in gram; Includes dietary fiber naturally present in grains, such as found in oats, wheat, or unmilled rice; and functional fiber synthesized or isolated from plants or animals) assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire.

    The recommended intake for total fiber for adults 50 years and younger is set at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Ghent

Other

Collaborators

  • Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante, Burkina Faso
  • University of Rwanda

Registry information

Official study title

Development and Evaluation of a Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire for Use in Urban and Rural Communities of Rwanda

Acronym: FFQ Rwanda

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Dec 17, 2019
Registry last updated
Nov 15, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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