SEMI-QUANTITATIVE FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Where do I obtain information regarding the food frequency questionnaires?

Please email either Laura Sampson at nhlas@channing.harvard.edu or Patrice

Brown at pbrown@hsph.harvard.edu. Please do not email both people. This
potentially will create a duplication of efforts.

2. When will my institution receive an invoice?

Invoices are sent for the cost of blank questionnaires and then again once
processing has been completed and you have received your data. Please provide
purchase orders to cover costs for each. We accept payments by check, wire transfer,
or Harvard Internal Payments (Harvard Affiliates Only). We do not accept credit
cards.

Please make sure payments include in the memo “NQSC (Invoice #); B.Justice 2-
7866” as an identifier. Wire transfer is preferred for orders over $1000.00. Please
contact Bristian Justice for wire transfers and internal payments; phone: 617-432-
7866 or bjustice@hsph.harvard.edu. For billing questions, please contact Lauren
Dougherty at 617-998-6615 or nhlhw@channing.harvard.edu.

3. Where should I send the questionnaire to be analyzed?

All questionnaires should be sent to:

Laura Sampson, MS, RD
Harvard School of Public Health
Nutrition Questionnaire Service Center
Nutrition Department, 3rd Floor, bldg. 2, rm 327
665 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115.

4. What type of output will I receive and how will I receive it?

Please refer to the information packet located on our website. There are two
documents within the packet which are labeled rawlogs and score sheets. These
are examples of the standard files returned to each investigator. You may also
choose to have your scanned and nutrient output data files returned so that you
can do additional statistical testing. You may choose either ASCII or EXCEL
format for these files. Whether you request just the scores and rawlog files or the
additional scanned and nutrient files, your data will be sent electronically via a
WinZip file attachment. Your questionnaires will be returned via FedEx. Please
 remember to include TWO email addresses on the billing form, which can be
obtained from the website.

5. How often is the Harvard School of Public Health’s nutrient database

updated?

The databases are updated every two - four years.

6. Is there a minimum order requirement?

No

7. How should the participants fill out the food frequency questionnaire?

The questionnaire should be coded in a #2 pencil.

8. How should my questionnaires look upon return for processing?

Each questionnaire should be completed using a number two pencil. Please refrain
from placing labels, holes, stray marks, staples or names on each questionnaire.
Each questionnaire must be assigned an identification number to be analyzed. Due
to HIPPA regulations, any questionnaire received with personal identification
such as a name or social security number will be returned to the investigator. If
this information is already on your questionnaire, the identifying information
must be crossed out or erased before submitting for processing so that it is not
visible.

9. How should I assign an identification number?

Each questionnaire requires an ID number before it can be scanned and analyzed.

You may choose unique numbers that have 8 or less digits. Double check that
duplicate IDs were not assigned. Please take into account the size of your study
and any follow-up studies that may follow when assigning IDs. The ID needs only
to be meaningful to the investigator. You do not need to assign leading nor trailing
zeros.

10. What is the turnaround time for FFQ’s?

Questionnaires are analyzed on a first come, first serve basis. Please allow
between six to eight weeks before receiving your analysis. All FFQs will be
returned using FedEx upon completion of analysis. Data will be returned in a
WinZip attachment.

11. Does the Harvard School of Public Health provide instruction for
participants or investigators?
 We do not provide the study coordinators with any instructions when
administering food frequency questionnaires to participants. However please
ensure that your participants complete the questionnaire using a #2 pencil. Please
refrain from placing labels, holes, stray marks, staples or names on each
questionnaire.

12. On average, how long does it take a participant to complete the food
frequency questionnaire?

The questionnaire usually takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.

13. I have a large study; is it possible to receive a discount?

We do not discount. Our prices are nonnegotiable.

14. What is a self coder and a self coder/editor?

A self coder is responsible for coding the study participant’s ID in the

appropriate box and filling in codes related to open-ended questions. Each self
coder will receive a coding manual, which explains the procedure, along with
codes for margarines, oils, vitamins, cereals and foods. A self coder/editor is
responsible for the self coding duties, editing the scanned data and returning
edited outputs and questionnaires to Laura Sampson for completion of analysis.
The editing process usually requires dual mailing.

15. I am a self-coder or self-coder/editor. Can I obtain instructions for these

duties?

Yes, please refer to our website,

https://regepi.bhw.harvard.edu/health.

To obtain a username and password for the Adult Coding Manual site, please
contact either Laura Sampson at nhlas@channing.harvard.edu

16. What constitutes a large study to be eligible for self-coding?

For studies to be eligible for self-coding they need to have 1000+ study
participants.

17. What are the differences between the questionnaires?

 All three questionnaires (80out, 2007 grid and 2007 booklet) were designed to be
a self-administered questionnaire to assess intake of various nutrients. The
questionnaires mainly differ in length. The 80out green FFQ is a 3-page
questionnaire, with 61 foods. The 80out, unlike the 2007 Grid FFQ and the 2007
Booklet FFQ, does not have an “other food” open-ended section, which allows
participants to report foods not represented within the body of the questionnaire.
The 80out has a limited range of food choices compared to the other FFQS. There
are several difference files posted at the website describing the difference between
the 2007 grid and booklet ffqs and the difference between the original gird and
booklet ffqs and the current 2007 grid and booklet ffqs. Please check these files
for further detail. Nutrient intakes are computed by assigning a daily frequency
weight. We suggest that you review the following validation articles for further
information:

Willett WC, Sampson, L, Stampfer, MJ, Rosner, B., Bain C, Witschi J,

Hennekens CH, Speizer, FE. Reproducibility and Validity of a
Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. Am J. Epidemiol 1985;
122: 51-65

Willett W, Sampson L, Browe ML, Stampfer MJ, Rosner B, Hennekens C,

Speizer, FE. The use of a self-administered questionnaire to assess diet
four year in the past. Am. J. Epidemiol 1988; 127: 188-199.

Rimm, EB, Giovannucci E, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Litin L. Willett W.

Reproducibility and validity of a self-administred semi-quantitative food
frequency questionnaire, and diet records in US men. Am. J. Epidemol
1992; 135: 1114-36.

Dominique S. Michaud, Edward L. Giovannucci, Alberto Ascherio, Eric B.

Rimm, Michelle R. Forman, Laura Sampson, and Walter C. Willett. Associations
of Plasma Carotenoid Concentrations and Dietary Intake of Specific Carotenoids
in Samples of Two Prospective Cohort Studies Using a New Carotenoid
Database. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Vol.7, 283-290, April
1998.

18. How do I reference the questionnaire for my publication?

Please refer to validation list, within the information packet, for validation studies
using the 80out and our original grid FFQ called the 88GP food frequency
questionnaires. The 80out questionnaire is almost an exact replica of our original
Nurses Health Study questionnaire. Use Walter Willett’s American Journal of
Epidemiology 1985 article. The 2007 Grid FFQ is closest to the Health
Professional Follow up questionnaire reported by Eric Rimm in the American
Journal of Epidemiology in 1992. There is an abstract posted for the 97GP from
SL Rifas-Shiman. This can also be used for the 2007 Booklet FFQ.
19. How do I get WinZip?

WINZIP file is sent using Partner’s Secure Transfer. You must login in and pick up
your data within 10 days. Please provide 2 email addresses for receipt of the WINZIP
files to assure data is obtained within the specified time.

If you do not have WinZip, you can go to winzip.com. There is an evaluation

program that you can download and programs to purchase that will open WinZip
attachments. There are other free programs such as jzip that can be downloaded
free that will open WinZip files. Please work with your IT Department if you have
trouble opening the WinZip attachment.

20. How do I open the contents of the WinZip attachments?

To open csv.label files use notepad and to open the rawlogs and score files use
Microsoft Word.