RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to validate a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire1 (SQFFQ) against 3 day weighted diet records (WDRs) for middle-aged inhabitants in the Chaoshan area, China. SUBJECTS: 100 middle-age healthy residents. METHODS: Validity was examined via descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlations. RESULTS: Pearson's correlation coefficients (CCs) with energy-adjustment quantified by the SQFFQ and 3 day WDRs (minimum-median-maximum) ranged from 0.31(Vegetables)-0.35-0.53 (Cereals) for the selected foods, and 0.12 (retinol)-0.41-0.58 (phosphorous) for the selected nutrients. Favorably high agreement for intakes of foods/nutrients was achieved along with low disagreement. CONCLUSION: A moderate level of relative validity was observed; this food frequency questionnaire is reliable and valid for dietary assessment with middle-aged inhabitants in the Chaoshan area, China.