Contribution of specific foods to fat, fatty acids, and cholesterol in the development of a food frequency questionnaire in Koreans.

The present study identified dietary sources of fat, fatty acids, and cholesterol in Koreans residing in and near Seoul. The study also identified foods to be included in a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) by both contribution analysis (CA) and multiple regression analysis (MRA). Three-day dietary records were collected from 224 subjects (107 men and 117 women) aged 30 to 85 years. Pork was the main source of total fat and the largest contributor to saturated fatty acids (SFA) was beef. MRA identified animal food as the primary source of between-person variance for SFA. Arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid originated primarily from marine products. About a fourth of the total cholesterol intake was derived from chickens' eggs by CA, while chickens' eggs accounted for 46% of the cholesterol intake for between-person variance by MRA. With 10 food items, the FFQ could explain more than half of total intakes except for total fat and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and at least 65% of between-person variances. The percentage coverage in the FFQ ranged from 61% for n-6 PUFA and linoleic acid and to 90% for arachidonic acid. The value of this FFQ is that it can estimate usual dietary food patterns and nutrient intake in Koreans for epidemiological studies. It can also potentially be used to study the relationship between specific diseases and nutrient intakes of interest.