Assessment of Dietary Intakes of Filipino-Americans: Implications for Food Frequency Questionnaire Design

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to describe food consumption practices of Filipino-American adults, to describe how they respond to a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) as a function of acculturation and sex, and to suggest modifications to the FFQ to improve dietary assessment among Filipino-Americans.MethodsTwenty-one Filipino-American women and 14 Filipino-American men (aged 30-60 years) who varied on acculturation level were recruited from the general community of San Diego, California. Participants completed a focus group and rated the Fred Hutchinson Food Frequency Questionnaire.ResultsThe most commonly eaten food items among Filipino-Americans were white rice, fish or meat, vegetables, and fruit. Most (76%) participants reported that the Fred Hutchinson Food Frequency Questionnaire lacked commonly eaten Filipino-American food.Conclusions and ImplicationsCommonly consumed food, such as adobo, lumpia, and pansit, might be added to a revised FFQ; doing so may improve recall and face validity among Filipino-Americans.