Development and external validation of the 'Flower-FFQ': a FFQ designed for the Lifelines Cohort Study.

Objective: FFQ assess habitual dietary intake and are relatively inexpensive to process, but may take up to 60 min to complete. This article describes the validation of the Flower-FFQ, which consists of four short FFQ measuring the intake of energy and macronutrients or specific (micro)nutrients/foods that can be merged into one complete daily assessment using predefined algorithms.

Design: Participants completed the Flower-FFQ and validated regular-FFQ (n 401).

The accuracy of portion size estimation using food images and textual descriptions of portion sizes: an evaluation study.

Background: Inaccurate self-report of portion sizes is a major cause of measurement error in dietary assessment. To reduce this error, different portion size estimation aids (PSEAs) have been developed, including food images (image based, IB-PSE) and textual descriptions of portion sizes (text-based, TB-PSE). We assessed the accuracy of portion size estimation by IB-PSE and TB-PSE.

Optimizing Low-Socioeconomic Status Pregnant Women's Dietary Intake in the Netherlands: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: Although the importance of maternal nutrition is evident, adherence to dietary guidelines is limited in pregnant women, especially in those with a low socioeconomic status. Promotion of a healthy diet in midwifery practice is promising, as prenatal diet affects both maternal and child health, pregnant women are open to dietary changes during this critical transition, and midwives are their first and most important source of information. Unfortunately, nutrition communication by Dutch midwives is limited.

Validity of Absolute Intake and Nutrient Density of Protein, Potassium, and Sodium Assessed by Various Dietary Assessment Methods: An Exploratory Study.

It is suggested that nutrient densities are less affected by measurement errors than absolute intake estimates of dietary exposure. We compared the validity of absolute intakes and densities of protein (kJ from protein/total energy (kJ)), potassium, and sodium (potassium or sodium (in mg)/total energy (kJ)) assessed by different dietary assessment methods. For 69 Dutch subjects, two duplicate portions (DPs), five to fifteen 24-h dietary recalls (24 hRs, telephone-based and web-based) and two food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were collected and compared to duplicate urinary biomarkers and one or two doubly labelled water measurements.

Preconception Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Health in the Offspring of Overweight and Obese Women.

Women's lifestyle has important implications for the development and health of their offspring. Yet little is known about the association between women's preconception dietary intake and physical activity with cardiovascular health of the offspring. We therefore examined this association in a group of Dutch women with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 29 kg/m) and infertility, who participated in a 6-month randomized preconception lifestyle intervention trial, and their offspring ( = 46).

Adherence to dietary guidelines in relation to visceral fat and liver fat in middle-aged men and women: the NEO study.

Background: It is unclear to what extent adherence to dietary guidelines may specifically affect visceral fat and liver fat. We aimed to study the association between the Dutch Healthy Diet Index (DHD-index) and total body fat, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and hepatic triglyceride content (HTGC) in middle-aged men and women.

Design: In this cross-sectional study, VAT was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 2580 participants, and HTGC by proton-MR spectroscopy in 2083 participants.

Adherence to a food group-based dietary guideline and incidence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the association between adherence to the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015 (DHD15-index) and incidence of prediabetes (preT2D) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) in a representative sample for the general Dutch population.

Methods: Two prospective cohort studies, The Hoorn and The New Hoorn Study, were used for data analyses. In total, data from 2951 participants without diabetes at baseline (mean age 56.

The Role of Self-Control and the Presence of Enactment Models on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption: A Pilot Study.

The objective of the present research was to investigate associations of dispositional and momentary self-control and the presence of other individuals consuming SSBs with the consumption frequency of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in a multi-country pilot study. We conducted an Ambulatory Assessment in which 75 university students (52 females) from four study sites carried smartphones and received prompts six times a day in their everyday environments to capture information regarding momentary self-control and the presence of other individuals consuming SSBs. Multilevel models revealed a statistically significant negative association between dispositional self-control and SSB consumption.

Using enhanced regression calibration to combine dietary intake estimates from 24 h recall and FFQ reduces bias in diet-disease associations.

Objective: To illustrate the impact of combining 24 h recall (24hR) and FFQ estimates using regression calibration (RC) and enhanced regression calibration (ERC) on diet-disease associations.

Setting: Wageningen area, the Netherlands, 2011-2013.

Design: Five approaches for obtaining self-reported dietary intake estimates of protein and K were compared: (i) uncorrected FFQ intakes (FFQ); (ii) uncorrected average of two 24hR ( $\overline {\rm R}$ ); (iii) average of FFQ and $\overline {\rm R}$ ( ${\overline {\rm F}}\,\overline {\rm R}}$ ); (iv) RC from regression of 24hR v.

Consumption of Alcoholic and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages is Associated with Increased Liver Fat Content in Middle-Aged Men and Women.

Background: Fatty liver is the leading cause of chronic liver diseases and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Besides alcohol consumption, energy-containing nonalcoholic beverages may contribute to liver fat accumulation.

Objective: We aimed to study the consumption of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and their mutual replacement in relation to hepatic triglyceride content (HTGC) in middle-aged men and women.

Importance of details in food descriptions in estimating population nutrient intake distributions.

Background: National food consumption surveys are important policy instruments that could monitor food consumption of a certain population. To be used for multiple purposes, this type of survey usually collects comprehensive food information using dietary assessment methods like 24-h dietary recalls (24HRs). However, the collection and handling of such detailed information require tremendous efforts.

The Maastricht FFQ: Development and validation of a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire for the Maastricht study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for The Maastricht Study, a population-based prospective cohort study in Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Methods: Item selection for the FFQ was based on explained variation and contribution to intake of energy and 24 nutrients. For validation, the FFQ was completed by 135 participants (25-70 y of age) of the Nutrition Questionnaires plus study.

Changes in Micronutrient Intake and Status, Diet Quality and Glucose Tolerance from Preconception to the Second Trimester of Pregnancy.

Data on changes in dietary intake and related blood parameters throughout pregnancy are scarce; moreover, few studies have examined their association with glucose homeostasis. Therefore, we monitored intake of folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin D and iron, their status markers, and diet quality from preconception to the second trimester of pregnancy, and we examined whether these dietary factors were associated with glucose homeostasis during pregnancy. We included 105 women aged 18⁻40 years with a desire to get pregnancy or who were already <24 weeks pregnant.

Pre-pregnancy dietary micronutrient adequacy is associated with lower risk of developing gestational diabetes in Australian women.

Evidence on pre-pregnancy dietary micronutrient intake in relation to gestational diabetes (GDM) development is limited. Therefore, we examined the prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intake before pregnancy and the association between pre-pregnancy dietary micronutrient adequacy, i.e.

Sweet Snacks Are Positively and Fruits and Vegetables Are Negatively Associated with Visceral or Liver Fat Content in Middle-Aged Men and Women.

Background: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and hepatic triglyceride content (HTGC) are major risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association of dietary intake of the main food groups with VAT and HTGC in middle-aged men and women.

Methods: We used data from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study, a population-based study including 6671 participants aged 45-65 y at baseline.

Pre-to-post diagnosis weight trajectories in colorectal cancer patients with non-metastatic disease.

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that > 50% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy gain weight after diagnosis. This may affect long-term health. Therefore, prevention of weight gain has been incorporated in oncological guidelines for CRC with a focus on patients that undergo adjuvant chemotherapy treatment.

Effects of a preconception lifestyle intervention in obese infertile women on diet and physical activity; A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Lifestyle changes are notoriously difficult. Since women who intend to become pregnant are more susceptible to lifestyle advice, interventions during this time window might be more effective than interventions during any other period in life. We here report the effects of the first large preconception lifestyle intervention RCT on diet and physical activity in obese infertile women.

Determinants of successful lifestyle change during a 6-month preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity and infertility.

Purpose: To identify demographic, (bio)physical, behavioral, and psychological determinants of successful lifestyle change and program completion by performing a secondary analysis of the intervention arm of a randomized-controlled trial, investigating a preconception lifestyle intervention.

Methods: The 6-month lifestyle intervention consisted of dietary counseling, physical activity, and behavioral modification, and was aimed at 5-10% weight loss. We operationalized successful lifestyle change as successful weight loss (≥ 5% weight/BMI ≤ 29 kg/m), weight loss in kilograms, a reduction in energy intake, and an increase in physical activity during the intervention program.

Nutrition Questionnaires plus (NQplus) study, a prospective study on dietary determinants and cardiometabolic health in Dutch adults.

Purpose: During the past decades, the number of people with cardiometabolic conditions substantially increased. To identify dietary factors that may be responsible for this increase in cardiometabolic conditions, the Nutrition Questionnaires plus (NQplus) study was initiated. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the study design and baseline characteristics of the NQplus population.

Supplement Use and Dietary Sources of Folate, Vitamin D, and -3 Fatty Acids during Preconception: The GLIMP2 Study.

An adequate nutritional status during the preconception period is important, particularly for folate, vitamin D, and -3 fatty acids (i.e., EPA+DHA).

Food identification by barcode scanning in the Netherlands: a quality assessment of labelled food product databases underlying popular nutrition applications.

Objective: The quality of labelled food product databases underlying popular diet applications (apps) with barcode scanners was investigated.

Design: Product identification rates for the scanned products and the availability and accuracy of nutrient values were calculated.

Setting: One hundred food products were selected from the two largest supermarket chains in the Netherlands.

User-documented food consumption data from publicly available apps: an analysis of opportunities and challenges for nutrition research.

Background: The need for a better understanding of food consumption behaviour within its behavioural context has sparked the interest of nutrition researchers for user-documented food consumption data collected outside the research context using publicly available nutrition apps. The study aims to characterize the scientific, technical, legal and ethical features of this data in order to identify the opportunities and challenges associated with using this data for nutrition research.

Method: A search for apps collecting food consumption data was conducted in October 2016 against UK Google Play and iTunes storefronts.

Systematic Review of Observational Studies with Dose-Response Meta-Analysis between Folate Intake and Status Biomarkers in Adults and the Elderly.

Background: Dietary reference values for folate intake vary widely across Europe.

Methods: MEDLINE and Embase through November 2016 were searched for data on the association between folate intake and biomarkers (serum/plasma folate, red blood cell [RBC] folate, plasma homocysteine) from observational studies in healthy adults and elderly. The regression coefficient of biomarkers on intake (β) was extracted from each study, and the overall and stratified pooled β and SE (β) were obtained by random effects meta-analysis on a double log scale.

Pre-pregnancy dietary carbohydrate quantity and quality, and risk of developing gestational diabetes: the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Carbohydrate quantity and quality affect postprandial glucose response, glucose metabolism and risk of type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine the association of pre-pregnancy dietary carbohydrate quantity and quality with the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We used data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health that included 3607 women aged 25-30 years without diabetes who were followed up between 2003 and 2015.