Food frequency questionnaires developed and validated for pregnant women: Systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Assessing food intake of pregnant women is extremely important, because maternal dietary patterns can influence fetal development as well as have either positive or negative effects on both the mother and fetus. Thus, the aim of the present study was to carry out a systematic review of the literature on food frequency questionnaires developed and validated for pregnant women, in order to assess their methodological quality and validation process. METHODS: A systematic review of studies focused on validating food frequency questionnaires for pregnant women was carried out in the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and OpenGrey databases. The selected studies were assessed based on their correlation coefficient in validation and reproducibility analyses, whereas their methodological quality was assessed based on the scoring system proposed by the EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned Network of Excellence. RESULTS: In total, 10 965 articles were identified in these databases; among them, 14 studies, with sample sizes ranging from 46 to 221 participants, and with participants (pregnant women) at a mean age of 28.68 ± 4.34 y, were selected. Most of the included studies used the 24-h food recall as the method for developing the food list (n = 6), with composition ranging from 46 to 255 items. With respect to the methodological assessment of the selected articles, half of the assessed tools were classified as having excellent methodological quality; their validation and reproducibility correlation coefficients were classified as moderate and high (r ≥ 0.40). CONCLUSIONS: Food frequency questionnaires developed for pregnant women appear to be reliable tools to assess food intake by this group. Overall, they had good methodological quality and adequate correlation coefficients compared with reference methods.

Cardiovascular risk factors in employees of a Alagoas industry / Fatores de risco cardiovascular em funcionários de uma indústria de Alagoas

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a serious public health problem in Brazil and comprise one of the causes of absence from work. However, its occurrence can be avoided if there is an early identification of cardiovascular risk factors. Objective: To investigate the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors in employees of an industry in Alagoas and to investigate differences in their occurrence between the sectors of work. Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional, carried out in February 2019, with employees from the administrative sector and the operational sector of an industry in Alagoas. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical and lifestyle data were collected. Altered blood pressure, anthropometric indicators of cardiovascular risk, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and personal or family history of chronic diseases were considered as cardiovascular risk factors. The statistical analysis was performed with the statistical package R, using the package Rcmdr. In order to ascertain possible differences between risk factors in employees of the administrative sector and the operational sector, the t test for independent samples was performed, when continuous variables, and the Pearson chi-square test was performed, when categorical variables, adopting a level significance of 5%. Results: 56 employees were evaluated, with a mean age of 33 ± 8.5 years. Of these, 80.4% were male, 62.5% were overweight, 58.9% consumed alcohol, 53.6% performed some physical activity and 51.8% had a cardiovascular family history. There was no difference in the occurrence of these factors between the sectors of work. Conclusion: The most frequent cardiovascular risk factors were overweight, alcohol consumption and presence of family history, with no difference being identified between workers in the operational sector and the administrative sector. However, the presence of these factors is worrying, mainly because it is a relatively young sample (AU)

Introdução: As doenças cardiovasculares tornaram-se um grave problema de saúde pública no Brasil e compreendem uma das causas de afastamento do trabalho. Entretanto, sua ocorrência pode ser evitada se houver a identificação precoce de fatores de risco cardiovascular. Objetivo: Investigar a frequência de fatores de risco cardiovascular em funcionários de uma indústria de Alagoas e averiguar diferenças em sua ocorrência entre os setores de trabalho. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal analítico, realizado em fevereiro de 2019, com funcionários do setor administrativo e do setor operacional de uma indústria alagoana. Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos, antropométricos, clínicos e de estilo de vida. Consideraram-se como fatores de risco cardiovascular: pressão arterial alterada, indicadores antropométricos de risco cardiovascular, tabagismo, etilismo, sedentarismo e antecedentes pessoais ou familiares de doenças crônicas. A análise estatística foi realizada com auxílio do pacote estatístico R, usando o pacote Rcmdr. Para averiguar possíveis diferenças entre os fatores de risco em funcionários do setor administrativo e do setor operacional, realizou-se o teste t para amostras independentes, quando variáveis contínuas, e o teste do qui-quadrado de Pearson, quando categóricas, adotando-se nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Foram avaliados 56 funcionários, com média de idade de 33 ± 8,5 anos. Destes, 80,4% eram do sexo masculino, 62,5% estavam com excesso de peso, 58,9% consumiam álcool, 53,6% realizavam alguma atividade física e 51,8% apresentavam antecedentes familiares cardiovasculares. Não houve diferença quanto à ocorrência desses fatores entre os setores de trabalho. Conclusão: Os fatores de risco cardiovascular mais frequentes foram excesso de peso, consumo de álcool e presença de antecedentes familiares, não tendo sido identificada diferença entre os trabalhadores do serviço operacional e administrativo. No entanto, a presença desses fatores é preocupante, principalmente por se tratar de amostra relativamente jovem (AU)

Fatores de risco cardiovascular em funcionários de uma indústria de Alagoas / Cardiovascular risk factors in employees of a Alagoas industry

RESUMO: Introdução: As doenças cardiovasculares tornaram-se um grave problema de saúde pública no Brasil e compreendem uma das causas de afastamento do trabalho. Entretanto, sua ocorrência pode ser evitada se houver a identificação precoce de fatores de risco cardiovascular. Objetivo: Investigar a frequência de fatores de risco cardiovascular em funcionários de uma indústria de Alagoas e averiguar diferenças em sua ocorrência entre os setores de trabalho. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal analítico, realizado em fevereiro de 2019, com funcionários do setor administrativo e do setor operacional de uma indústria alagoana. Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos, antropométricos, clínicos e de estilo de vida. Consideraram-se como fatores de risco cardiovascular: pressão arterial alterada, indicadores antropométricos de risco cardiovascular, tabagismo, etilismo, sedentarismo e antecedentes pessoais ou familiares de doenças crônicas. A análise estatística foi realizada com auxílio do pacote estatístico R, usando o pacote Rcmdr. Para averiguar possíveis diferenças entre os fatores de risco em funcionários do setor administrativo e do setor operacional, realizou-se o teste t para amostras independentes, quando variáveis contínuas, e o teste do qui-quadrado de Pearson, quando categóricas, adotando-se nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Foram avaliados 56 funcionários, com média de idade de 33 ± 8,5 anos. Destes, 80,4% eram do sexo masculino, 62,5% estavam com excesso de peso, 58,9% consumiam álcool, 53,6% realizavam alguma atividade física e 51,8% apresentavam antecedentes familiares cardiovasculares. Não houve diferença quanto à ocorrência desses fatores entre os setores de trabalho. Conclusão: Os fatores de risco cardiovascular mais frequentes foram excesso de peso, consumo de álcool e presença de antecedentes familiares, não tendo sido identificada diferença entre os trabalhadores do serviço operacional e administrativo. No entanto, a presença desses fatores é preocupante, principalmente por se tratar de amostra relativamente jovem (AU)

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a serious public health problem in Brazil and comprise one of the causes of absence from work. However, its occurrence can be avoided if there is an early identification of cardiovascular risk factors. Objective: To investigate the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors in employees of an industry in Alagoas and to investigate differences in their occurrence between the sectors of work. Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional, carried out in February 2019, with employees from the administrative sector and the operational sector of an industry in Alagoas. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical and lifestyle data were collected. Altered blood pressure, anthropometric indicators of cardiovascular risk, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and personal or family history of chronic diseases were considered as cardiovascular risk factors. The statistical analysis was performed with the statistical package R, using the package Rcmdr. In order to ascertain possible differences between risk factors in employees of the administrative sector and the operational sector, the t test for independent samples was performed, when continuous variables, and the Pearson chi-square test was performed, when categorical variables, adopting a level significance of 5%. Results: 56 employees were evaluated, with a mean age of 33 ± 8.5 years. Of these, 80.4% were male, 62.5% were overweight, 58.9% consumed alcohol, 53.6% performed some physical activity and 51.8% had a cardiovascular family history. There was no difference in the occurrence of these factors between the sectors of work. Conclusion: The most frequent cardiovascular risk factors were overweight, alcohol consumption and presence of family history, with no difference being identified between workers in the operational sector and the administrative sector. However, the presence of these factors is worrying, mainly because it is a relatively young sample (AU)

Validation and reproducibility of a FFQ focused on pregnant women living in Northeastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study is to assess the validity and reproducibility of a FFQ focused on pregnant women living in Northeastern Brazil. DESIGN: Three 24-hour-dietary recalls (24 hR) and two FFQ were applied at 15-d intervals between research stages in order to confirm the validity and reproducibility of the FFQ. Validity assessment was based on Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) or Spearman's correlation coefficient (SCC) between FFQ and the mean of three 24 hR (the 24 hR was used as reference standard), whereas reproducibility assessment was based on the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) among FFQ, and P < 0·05 was set as significance level. SETTING: Public health network of a capital city in Northeastern Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Overall, 100 pregnant women were included in the study. RESULTS: The PCC or SCC adopted in the validity analysis recorded the recommended values (from 0·4 and 0·7) for energy (0·44; P < 0·001), carbohydrate (0·40; P < 0·001), vitamins B2 (0·40; P < 0·001), B5 (0·40; P < 0·001), E (0·47; P < 0·001), B12 (0·48; P < 0·001), phosphorus (0·92; P < 0·001), Mg (0·81; P < 0·001), Se (0·70; P < 0·001), cholesterol (0·64; P < 0·001), saturated (0·76; P < 0·001), polyunsaturated (0·73; P < 0·001) and monounsaturated fats (0·87; P < 0·001) and fibres (0·77; P < 0·001). Mg (0·72; P < 0·001), Fe (0·65; P < 0·001), lipid (0·56; P < 0·001) and energy (0·55; P < 0·001) presented ICC within the recommended reproducibility values. CONCLUSIONS: The FFQ developed in the current study is a useful tool to assess the usual food intake of pregnant women.