Construção e validação de um questionário de frequência alimentar para avaliar o consumo de alimentos com potencial cariogênico e erosivo em adolescentes

Abstract

The treatment of dental caries requires a dietary assessment, since the regular consumption of fermentable carbohydrates was necessary to disease development. The cariogenic diet is determined by the presence of fermentable carbohydrates, especially sucrose. The erosive tooth wear is also an oral problem manifested as the substantial loss of dental tissues due to chemical dissolution by acid from extrinsic and intrinsic sources, also as a consequence of dietary habits or gastrointestinal disorders. The study of the relationship between oral health problems and food consumption presents some difficulties, and there is no agreement about the best method to assess dietary habits. The methods used to assess food intake are the 24-hour recall, food diary and the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). This study aimed to construct and validate a Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess the consumption of foods with cariogenic and erosive potential in adolescents. After review of the literature, it was developed a FFQ containing 35 foods that represent cariogenic and/or erosive potential. Eighty-six adolescents, 34 males and 52 females, 11-19 years old, from public schools in the city of Pelotas were selected for interview. For the FFQ, the participants answered by an interview if the amount of consumed products was equal, lower or higher than to the average consumption portion, in addition to the frequency of consumption of a list of foods in the 12 months prior to the interview. 24-hour recalls and the FFQs were applied at the same moment. After, the FFQ was subjected to a validation process. The 24-hour recalls were analyzed for caloric and nutrient composition in ADS Nutri software. The FFQ were double typed in Excel software. Intake crude average of all nutrients was higher in the 24-hour recall than FFQ, only carbohydrate intake and calcium was higher in FFQ. However, the frequency of intake of foods with cariogenic and erosive potential was higher in the FFQ. Statistical analysis showed randomly negative and positive correlations for nutrients, and also weak correlation between the average intake of foods with cariogenic and / or erosive potential between the FFQ and the 24-hour recall. As a consequence, it was not possible to validate the FFQ for the consumption of certains nutrients and foods with cariogenic and erosive potential in adolescents, and a new attempt of validation against other dietary measurement methods is necessary.