Skip to main content

Table 1 Food groups and food items of the food frequency questionnaire

From: Validity and reliability of a food frequency questionnaire for community dwelling older adults in a Mediterranean country: Lebanon

Food group

Food items included

Portion size used

Refined flour products

All types of bread including Lebanese bread, crisp bread, croissant, “Mankouche” (Lebanese dough-based product)

1 oz. of bread or ½ cup cooked cereals

Whole cereals and products

Whole-wheat, whole-wheat bread, oat breads and bulgur

Rice

White rice

Pizza and pasta

Bread equivalent of pizza, pasta

Corn and breakfast cereals

Breakfast cereals and corn

Potato

Potatoes and potato products

½ cup vegetable

Raw vegetables

Raw green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, sprouts and mixed salad/vegetables

Cooked vegetables

Green beans, cooked cruciferous, zucchini, eggplants, carrots, pumpkins, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, green peas, onions, garlic

Fruits

Fresh and dried fruits, fresh and bottled fruit juice

Usual portion size

Legumes

Lentils, chickpeas and beans, except soya

1 oz. of meat or equivalent

Meat & poultry

Beef, veal, lamb/mutton, goat, poultry, organ meat, processed meat from red meat or poultry (e.g. Ham, sausages)

Eggs

Eggs boiled or fried

Fish and shellfish

Fresh and canned fish, fish products and seafood.

Vegetable oils

Vegetable oils including corn, peanut, sunflower, and canola oils, and mayonnaise

1 teaspoon equivalent of fat

Olive, seeds and oleaginous fruits

Olives, olive oil, sesame paste (“Tahini”) avocado, nuts

Processed and saturated fats

Margarine, ghee and butter

Milk & dairy products

Whole, light, or skimmed liquid milk, processed milk (condensed, dried), dairy dishes, cheeses

1 cup of milk equivalent

Low fat sweets

Wafers, “Meghle”, gelatin-based dessert, milk-based puddings

Usual serving size

High fat sweets

Oriental sweets and baklava, cakes and desserts, chocolate

Sugars and jams

Sugar and confectionery sugar, jam, marmalade, honey,” Halawa”, soft drinks.

1 teaspoon of sugar