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Risk Factor Monitoring & Methods
Cancer Control and Population Sciences

Dietary Screener Questionnaire: Scoring Procedures

How Analytical Scoring Procedures Were Developed

Scoring procedures were developed to convert a respondent's screener responses to estimates of individual dietary intake for fruits and vegetables (cups), fiber (g), added sugars (tsp), calcium (mg), dairy (cup equivalents), and whole grains (ounce equivalents) using the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 24-hour dietary recall data. The following equations were estimated in the NHANES 2003-2006. (Scoring algorithms for fiber, calcium, and whole grains are forthcoming.)

For cup equivalents of fruits and vegetables:

E ([Fruits and Veg]1/2) = b0+ b1([NFG1P1 + NFG2P2+... + NFG10P10]1/2)

Cup equivalents of fruits and vegetables were square-root-transformed to approximate normality; NFGk is the usual number of times per day an individual consumed food group k; Pk is the median portion size in fruit and vegetable cup equivalents of group k; and k indexes the nine fruit and vegetable food groups. We calculated weighted least-squares estimates of the regression coefficients b0 and b1 in the NHANES 2003-2006 samples, stratifying by sex and age group (2-17; 18+), and excluding extreme exposure values.

For teaspoons of added sugars:

E ([Added Sugars].33) = b0+ b1([NFG1P1+ NFG2P2+...+ NFG4P4].33)

Teaspoons of added sugars were cube-root-transformed to approximate normality; NFGk is the usual number of times per day that an individual consumed food group k; Pk is the median portion size in added sugars teaspoons of group k; and k indexes the four added sugar food groups. We calculated weighted least-squares estimates of the regression coefficients b0and b1in the NHANES 2003-2006 samples, stratifying by sex and age group (2-17; 18+), and excluding extreme exposure values.

For cup equivalents of dairy:

E ([Dairy]1/2) = b0+ b1([NFG1P1+ NFG2P2+...+ NFG4P4]1/2)

Cup equivalents of dairy were square-root-transformed to approximate normality; NFGk is the usual number of times per day an individual consumed food group k; Pk is the median portion size in dairy cup equivalents of group k; and k indexes the four dairy food groups. We calculated weighted least-squares estimates of the regression coefficients b0 and b1 on the NHANES 2003-2006 samples, stratifying by sex and age group (2-17; 18+), and excluding extreme exposure values.

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Scoring Procedures

We performed the following steps to estimate the individual intake of fruits and vegetables, added sugars, and dairy.

  1. Estimation of Pk:

    The median sex- and age-specific portion sizes for each food were estimated from NHANES 2003-2006. For fruit and vegetable variables, the unit was MyPyramid cup equivalents of fruits and vegetables (Tables 1 and 2); for added sugars, the unit was MyPyramid teaspoons of added sugar Tables 3 and 4). For dairy, the unit was MyPyramid cup equivalents (Tables 5 and 6).

    For fruits and vegetables, a MyPyramid cup equivalent is defined by theUS Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services, as defined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, as:

    • vegetables: 1 cup raw or cooked; 1 cup vegetable juice; or 2 cups leafy salad greens
    • fruit: 1 cup raw or cooked; ½ cup dried fruits; or 1 cup fruit juice.
    Table 1. Median Portion Size (Pk) in Cup Equivalents per Mention by Sex and Age for Fruits and Vegetables Analyses: Children
    Food Group Age Group (years)
    2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17
    Boys
    Fruit (P1) 0.593960 0.637200 0.702503 0.824490 0.858231 0.983798 0.976005 0.955500
    100% fruit juice (P2) 0.734405 0.751000 0.812000 0.812000 0.843000 1.249333 1.312000 1.439000
    Salad (P3) 0.124988 0.130669 0.249975 0.145440 0.145440 0.218000 0.250000 0.249975
    Fried potatoes (P4) 0.320600 0.318000 0.372000 0.545000 0.375000 0.479532 0.545000 0.711510
    Other potatoes (P5) 0.341880 0.499800 0.500000 0.750000 0.515485 0.765500 0.700590 1.000000
    Dried beans (P6) 0.321000 0.250038 0.342000 0.332000 0.440250 0.438150 0.630700 0.482000
    Other vegetables (P7) 0.249900 0.306500 0.312400 0.347700 0.397750 0.316223 0.318160 0.309015
    Tomato sauce (P8) 0.351000 0.425250 0.586703 0.316000 0.587000 0.733000 0.525000 0.708500
    Salsa (P9) 0.051383 0.106080 0.159120 0.193000 0.231000 0.116000 0.309555 0.206392
    Pizza (P10) 0.253843 0.256000 0.284000 0.283250 0.290000 0.401795 0.496000 0.546259
    Girls
    Fruit (P1) 0.531500 0.632000 0.650160 0.660667 0.812333 0.858980 0.845610 0.867000
    100% fruit juice (P2) 0.734557 0.754416 0.749580 0.798096 0.815000 1.000980 1.103333 1.300000
    Salad (P3) 0.249975 0.268000 0.218000 0.208500 0.250000 0.203500 0.291000 0.374963
    Fried potatoes (P4) 0.272000 0.293000 0.455500 0.272425 0.456713 0.493592 0.455500 0.543178
    Other potatoes (P5) 0.499800 0.500000 0.500000 0.562478 0.715000 0.515485 0.749700 0.501000
    Dried beans (P6) 0.247050 0.346000 0.390320 0.217736 0.357500 0.562118 0.320000 0.406725
    Other vegetables (P7) 0.241000 0.250000 0.333426 0.302000 0.349000 0.264000 0.323000 0.276250
    Tomato sauce (P8) 0.323700 0.387810 0.370000 0.460802 0.517080 0.776000 0.587000 0.525000
    Salsa (P9) 0.053040 0.056500 0.231000 0.154148 0.106080 0.412718 0.112000 0.154148
    Pizza (P10) 0.198327 0.256500 0.290000 0.248400 0.300000 0.319783 0.350000 0.444000
    Table 2. Median Portion Size (Pk) in Cup Equivalents per Mention by Sex and Age for Fruits and Vegetables Analyses: Adults
    Food Group Age Group (years)
    18-27 28-37 38-47 48-57 58-67 68-77 >78
    Men
    Fruit (P1) 0.867300 0.911790 0.867300 0.867300 0.813000 0.715500 0.713000
    100% fruit juice (P2) 1.480620 1.458000 1.437000 1.147570 0.999440 0.812045 0.780813
    Salad (P3) 0.291000 0.375000 0.390500 0.400500 0.499950 0.407500 0.388810
    Fried potatoes (P4) 0.622000 0.663435 0.548000 0.548055 0.545000 0.455000 0.444000
    Other potatoes (P5) 0.836000 0.767025 0.874650 0.930000 0.809676 0.809676 0.536000
    Dried beans (P6) 0.563000 0.524700 0.597726 0.563000 0.480533 0.377000 0.411000
    Other vegetables (P7) 0.333401 0.406500 0.388250 0.410901 0.431000 0.442680 0.375188
    Tomato sauce (P8) 0.612000 0.688000 0.637962 0.925000 0.861500 0.861800 0.486000
    Salsa (P9) 0.177021 0.212160 0.198000 0.265000 0.206392 0.132000 0.231000
    Pizza (P10) 0.647000 0.729000 0.694861 0.693760 0.759000 0.542720 0.293000
    Women
    Fruit (P1) 0.764240 0.750000 0.739187 0.775915 0.742000 0.633000 0.632000
    100% fruit juice (P2) 1.242252 1.003392 1.000000 1.000000 0.813000 0.749580 0.750000
    Salad (P3) 0.318225 0.395500 0.500000 0.500000 0.437502 0.375000 0.333500
    Fried potatoes (P4) 0.480000 0.446660 0.444000 0.385000 0.455275 0.444000 0.320000
    Other potatoes (P5) 0.749700 0.500000 0.697000 0.555500 0.570960 0.666000 0.515000
    Dried beans (P6) 0.390000 0.342000 0.321000 0.333000 0.341398 0.323400 0.305000
    Other vegetables (P7) 0.308000 0.361100 0.333300 0.389714 0.396680 0.389083 0.350667
    Tomato sauce (P8) 0.624000 0.480000 0.388000 0.537240 0.563000 0.710000 0.336660
    Salsa (P9) 0.129000 0.212160 0.174877 0.206392 0.138705 0.231000 0.097852
    Pizza (P10) 0.433541 0.444000 0.432000 0.431609 0.488653 0.569016 0.390861
    Table 3. Median Portion Size (Pk) in Teaspoons per Mention by Sex and Age for Added Sugars Analyses: Children/Adolescents
    Food Group Age Group (years)
    2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17
    Boys
    Soda (P1) 3.142293 4.714080 7.588000 6.746025 8.271500 8.938500 10.618209 11.755190
    Sugar/honey in coffee/tea (P2) 1.000000 1.000000 1.382000 1.382000 1.000062 1.000062 2.559500 2.559500
    Fruit drinks, energy drinks (P3) 4.405266 4.617000 4.692120 4.790000 5.966880 6.841511 7.978000 8.157000
    Candy (P4) 1.856000 2.225000 1.778000 3.148000 2.618980 2.674000 2.731076 4.249883
    Doughnuts (P5) 2.405700 3.100420 2.737800 4.395000 3.826746 4.109025 4.395000 4.811400
    Cookies, cake, pie, brownies (P6) 1.814927 2.054360 2.640000 2.573000 3.482000 3.180000 4.058775 3.999500
    Ice cream (P7) 2.345500 3.253000 3.253000 2.977730 3.875520 4.392990 6.650000 3.975072
    Girls
    Soda (P1) 3.144742 4.726890 5.364167 6.288856 7.875000 7.889000 8.984976 9.428160
    Sugar/honey in coffee/tea (P2) 1.000000 1.000000 1.382000 1.382000 1.323098 1.323098 2.000000 2.000000
    Fruit drinks, energy drinks (P3) 3.822525 4.258716 4.617000 5.028540 5.019210 5.091030 8.157000 7.391000
    Candy (P4) 2.098600 2.120000 1.451500 2.248833 2.248500 2.618980 2.618980 2.722667
    Doughnuts (P5) 2.405700 2.593800 2.659300 3.664865 3.296500 4.395000 4.395000 3.463040
    Cookies, cake, pie, brownies (P6) 1.810160 2.417000 2.752750 3.225000 3.115333 2.679119 2.790000 2.468400
    Ice cream (P7) 2.477200 3.156580 2.774000 3.785000 4.775000 2.977730 4.063000 5.006500

    (Table 3 was updated on 12 June 2012.)

    Table 4. Median Portion Size (Pk) in Teaspoons per Mention by Sex and Age for Added Sugars Analyses: Adults
    Food Group Age Group (years)
    18-27 28-37 38-47 48-57 58-67 68-77 >78
    Men
    Soda (P1) 11.601377 10.480288 10.327300 9.428160 8.994700 8.994700 7.889000
    Sugar/honey in coffee/tea (P2) 2.000124 2.000124 2.500155 2.484333 1.500000 1.488188 1.653277
    Fruit drinks, energy drinks (P3) 8.559500 8.232800 10.264077 8.141300 7.558200 5.439624 5.439624
    Candy (P4) 3.475000 3.259468 3.031745 3.054975 2.974000 2.359090 2.445380
    Doughnuts (P5) 4.282600 4.262250 3.708000 3.517150 4.289115 2.789390 3.127400
    Cookies, cake, pie, brownies (P6) 3.761000 3.756900 4.387860 3.735000 3.192000 3.230824 2.667387
    Ice cream (P7) 5.052000 5.262000 5.052000 4.680000 4.508965 3.691000 3.849000
    Women
    Soda (P1) 9.336096 8.947000 7.953000 8.617500 7.865340 7.295500 5.917000
    Sugar/honey in coffee/tea (P2) 2.000000 2.000124 2.000000 1.666770 1.500000 1.382000 1.000062
    Fruit drinks, energy drinks (P3) 7.258570 7.493000 6.451665 6.230040 6.798000 4.536750 4.113113
    Candy (P4) 2.703000 2.121000 2.275000 2.248500 2.098600 1.858320 1.686480
    Doughnuts (P5) 4.191040 3.112720 3.127000 2.781216 3.242000 3.150500 2.383229
    Cookies, cake, pie, brownies (P6) 2.661000 3.340980 3.651000 3.208920 2.821134 2.729500 2.572640
    Ice cream (P7) 3.509870 3.875520 3.300180 3.094000 2.949000 3.350500 3.300180
    Table 5. Median Portion Size (Pk) in Cup Equivalents per Mention by Sex and Age for Dairy Analyses: Children/Adolescents
    Food Group Age Group (years)
    2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17
    Boys
    Cheese (P1) 0.406426 0.461000 0.370440 0.562000 0.646000 0.555500 0.633500 0.667000
    Pizza (P2) 0.569568 0.706000 0.759935 0.756010 0.717858 0.982000 1.114109 1.453760
    Milk (P3) 0.773875 0.812500 0.906413 0.969000 0.998400 1.125000 1.313025 1.281500
    Ice cream (P4) 0.073260 0.132000 0.102000 0.105000 0.182500 0.226000 0.281174 0.199778
    Girls
    Cheese (P1) 0.370000 0.423000 0.370440 0.469920 0.518500 0.470000 0.506268 0.578648
    Pizza (P2) 0.471123 0.658000 0.863877 0.700196 0.740715 0.717858 0.858929 1.040520
    Milk (P3) 0.666931 0.781750 0.802333 0.812520 1.000000 1.030500 1.000000 1.000400
    Ice cream (P4) 0.061880 0.146965 0.153000 0.165330 0.190000 0.183000 0.194480 0.220440
    Table 6. Median Portion Size (Pk) in Cup Equivalents per Mention by Sex and Age for Dairy Analyses: Adults
    Food Group Age Group (years)
    18-27 28-37 38-47 48-57 58-67 68-77 >78
    Men
    Cheese (P1) 0.684333 0.609250 0.623022 0.586278 0.580562 0.470000 0.505700
    Pizza (P2) 1.317000 1.500000 1.190850 1.325659 1.166539 1.113000 0.726591
    Milk (P3) 1.313025 1.313025 1.311965 1.000400 1.000000 0.833333 0.781563
    Ice cream (P4) 0.261840 0.238967 0.264000 0.264000 0.271000 0.220448 0.226000
    Women
    Cheese (P1) 0.498330 0.472500 0.456667 0.468000 0.438209 0.469920 0.432075
    Pizza (P2) 0.878526 0.853000 0.851482 0.968774 0.988000 0.992000 0.713000
    Milk (P3) 1.042083 1.000000 0.968000 0.999000 0.750300 0.750000 0.708500
    Ice cream (P4) 0.198000 0.201000 0.205000 0.226980 0.192889 0.221000 0.194480

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  2. Estimation of b0 and b1:

    For MyPyramid cup equivalents of fruits and vegetables, including and excluding French fries, for each age group and sex, the estimates of the parameters are:

  3. Table 7. Estimated Regression Coefficients for Sum of Foods Predicting Cup Equivalents of Total Fruits and Vegetables and Fruits and Vegetables Excluding French Fries, by Age Group and Sex
    Parameter Boys/Men Girls/Women
    Children/Adolescents - Summary Variable with French fries
    Intercept (b0) 0.462566 0.392324
    b1 0.811788 0.854301
    Children/Adolescents - Summary Variable excluding French fries
    Intercept (b0) 0.568998 0.475719
    b1 0.811989 0.835264
    Adults - Summary Variable with French fries
    Intercept (b0) 0.477564 0.410216
    b1 0.799518 0.839939
    Adults - Summary Variable excluding French fries
    Intercept (b0) 0.578625 0.482013
    b1 0.805304 0.831193

    For MyPyramid teaspoons of added sugars, estimation of b0 and b1, the model is:

    E ([Dietary Factor]1/3) = b0+ b1([NFG1P1+ NFG2P2+ ...+ NFG7P7]1/3)

    For MyPyramid teaspoons of added sugars, for each age group and sex, the estimates of the parameters are:

    Table 8. Estimated Regression Coefficients for Sum of Foods Predicting Teaspoons of Added Sugars, by Age Group and Sex
    Parameter Boys/Men Girls/Women
    Children/Adolescents
    Intercept (b0) 1.288727 1.208901
    b1 0.647088 0.638897
    Adults
    Intercept (b0) 1.169086 1.161424
    b1 0.689624 0.646632

    (Table 8 was updated on 12 June 2012.)

    For MyPyramid cup equivalents of dairy, estimation of b0and b1, the model is:

    E ([Dairy]1/2) = b0+ b1([NFG1P1+ NFG2P2+ ... + NFG4P4]1/2)

    For MyPyramid cup equivalents of dairy, for each age group and sex, the estimates of the parameters are:

    Table 9. Estimated Regression Coefficients for Sum of Foods Predicting Cup Equivalents of Dairy, by Age Group and Sex
    Parameter Boys/Men Girls/Women
    Children/Adolescents
    Intercept (b0) 0.327834 0.348004
    b1 0.884728 0.871675
    Adults
    Intercept (b0) 0.397486 0.428353
    b1 0.868178 0.811133

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SAS programs for several of the exposures are available. Scoring algorithms for fiber, calcium, and whole grains are forthcoming.

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Last modified:
12 Jun 2012
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