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Development of a tool for the assessment of calcium and vitamin D intakes in clinical settings

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Abstract

Summary

The study aim was to develop a tool (software and ruler) to assess the dietary calcium and vitamin D intakes in Portugal, and evaluate the usefulness of non-dietary variables as intake predictors. Our findings indicated that is possible to estimate both using three and six food items, respectively, and non-dietary predictors.

Introduction

The study aim was to develop a tool to assess the dietary calcium and vitamin D intakes in Portugal, and evaluate the usefulness of non-dietary variables as predictors.

Methods

Trained interviewers collected information of 2,414 adults of Porto, Portugal, using a structured questionnaire and a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Food items with the highest contribution to the total intake and non-dietary predictors (gender, age and body mass index (BMI)) were selected for the tool. Different statistical approaches were used to predict the intake. A Bland–Altman plot compared the predictions from the tool and the full FFQ.

Results

The items selected to predict intake were milk (38%), cheese (12%), yogurt (10%) and gender for calcium and oily fish (39%), canned fish (9%), white fish (7%), eggs (5%), red meat (5%), age and BMI for vitamin D. The Bland–Altman plot showed that the mean differences were 0.0 (limits of agreement = [-220.67; 220.77]) mg/day and 0.0 (limits of agreement = [-1.03; 1.05]) µg/day, respectively for calcium and vitamin D.

Conclusion

The equations estimated by the best statistical model to predict the calcium and vitamin D intake allowed for the design of a software and a circular ruler useful in clinical settings.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thanks the contribution of Fernanda Pereira and José Relvas in the circular ruler conception.

Source of funding

Supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, POCI/SAUESP/61160/2004

Conflicts of interest

None

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Porto Medical School, Alameda Prof. Hernani Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal

    M. Severo, C. Lopes, R. Lucas & H. Barros

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  1. M. Severo
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  2. C. Lopes
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  3. R. Lucas
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  4. H. Barros
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Severo.

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Severo, M., Lopes, C., Lucas, R. et al. Development of a tool for the assessment of calcium and vitamin D intakes in clinical settings. Osteoporos Int 20, 231–237 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-008-0647-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-008-0647-6

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