Development of a dish-based food frequency questionnaire for Iranian population.

Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are widely used in large studies worldwide. They usually seek to rank people according to their usual food intake rather than a specific period of time. In the present study, we aimed to develop a dish-based, semi-quantitative FFQ to seek habitual diet of general population aged 9 to 65 years in Tehran.

Correction to: Validity and reliability of a dish-based semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for assessment of energy and nutrient intake among Iranian adults.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Discretionary Salt Intake and Readiness for Behavioral Change Among Women in Tehran.

Background: Since women's readiness for dietary behavioral change can be one of the most effective fundamental measures for reducing dietary salt intake in line with preventing chronic diseases in developing countries, the present study is aimed to determine the readiness for behavioral change in discretionary salt intake among women living in Tehran.

Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 561 women referring to the women care units across city of Tehran. The self-administered questionnaire included assessment of nutrition-related knowledge on salt intake and its association with diseases, discretionary salt intake, stages of change, and self-efficacy of women.

Validity and reliability of a dish-based semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for assessment of energy and nutrient intake among Iranian adults.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of a dish-based, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (DFFQ) for epidemiological studies in Iran. The DFFQ included 142 items (84 foods and 58 mixed dishes) which was filled in by 230 adults (110 men). All participants completed two separate DFFQs with a 6 months interval as well as six 24-h recalls, each month.

Strategies and Opportunities Ahead to Reduce Salt Intake.

In Iran, as in most countries, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death (highest mortality rate), but rank third in terms of disease burden. On the other hand, the relationship between high salt intake, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease has been proven. Food consumption pattern in Iran shows that consumption of salt, pickled foods and salty snacks is common.

Nutritional assessment for primary school children in tehran: an evaluation of dietary pattern with emphasis on snacks and meals consumption.

Background: In order to provide better advice for prevention of obesity and eating disorders among children, there is a need to have more knowledge of their dietary patterns. This study examined meal and snacking patterns of primary school children in Tehran.

Methods: A total of 761 male and female primary school children from all educational areas in Tehran were recruited in a cross-sectional survey.

Iron-fortified flour: can it induce lipid peroxidation?

This community-based study was conducted to evaluate the effects of iron-fortified bread consumption on certain biomarkers of oxidative stress in an apparently healthy population. Evaluation of food intake, anthropometric and laboratory variables was performed in the beginning and after the 8-month intervention for all participants. There was no significant change in oxidative stress biomarkers in women following 8 months intervention.

Parental determinants of overweight and obesity in Iranian adolescents: a national study.

Objective: Overweight among adolescents is not only an important public health problem but also a problem affecting economic growth in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the parental determinants of overweight and obesity in Iranian adolescents at national level.

Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted within the framework of the Comprehensive Study on Household Food Consumption Patterns and Nutritional Status of IR Iran during 2001-2003.

Long-term consequences of iron-fortified flour consumption in nonanemic men.

Background/aims: Despite the advantages of fortifying flour with iron, there are still special concerns regarding the possible adverse effects of the extra iron consumed by nonanemic individuals. This study aimed to investigate the oxidative stress and iron status following 8 and 16 months of consumption of iron-fortified flour in nonanemic men.

Methods: In a before-and-after intervention study, 78 nonanemic apparently healthy 40- to 65-year-old men were randomly selected from Semnan, in the northeast of Iran.

Construction of national standards of weight and height and growth charts of Iranian children: a review article.

Objectives: Growth charts are the most important evaluation tools for the assessment of growth and development of children which could be further used to develop preventive interventions. This study was undertaken with the aim of reviewing different current growth curves, their advantages and disadvantages, and performing a review of the studies conducted in Iran and other countries on determination of weight and height standards.

Methods: In order to collect materials for this review, a detailed search of Scientific Information Database (SID), Iran Medex, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science was carried out for the time period 2005-2010.

Oxidative stress among non-anemic adults following flour fortification with iron: baseline data.

Background: It has been suggested that food fortification might be an inexpensive, simple and effective way to control and prevent iron deficiency and its related anemia in many countries. Despite the advantages of this approach and the fact that it has been implemented in some provinces in Iran for more than 6 years, many scientists in the country worry about the negative aspects of the extra iron distributed among non-anemic persons in the community.

Objective: This study was designed to assess the effect of the flour fortification program on oxidative stress biomarkers and iron status among non-anemic 40- to 65-year-old adults.