Dietary intake among adults in Trinidad and Tobago and development of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire to highlight nutritional needs for lifestyle interventions

Primary objective To create a food list and develop a draft quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) for Trinidad and Tobago. Methods and procedures A mixed sampling method was used to obtain a representative sample and trained interviewers administered 24-h dietary recalls. Portion sizes were assessed and the most frequently reported foods were tabulated. Main outcomes and results Results are from 155 men and 169 women aged 21--64 years. The most frequently reported food items were: full-cream milk (64%), rice (61%), and sweetened fruit drinks (50%). Carbonated drinks were consumed by 28%. The most frequently consumed fruits were banana (23%) and citrus (22%); < 20% consumed a vegetable food item. The final QFFQ contains 146 items: 19 breads/cakes/cereals; seven rice/pastas/noodles; 12 dairy; 26 meats/poultry/fish/soy products; 15 fruits; 34 vegetables; six legumes; 11 other; 12 drinks; four alcoholic drinks. Conclusions A list of commonly consumed foods in Trinidad and Tobago was obtained and a draft QFFQ was prepared.