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Regular diet monitoring requires a tool validated in the target population. A 73-item, semiquantitative, self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), was adapted in French and English from the Block National Cancer Institute Health Habits and History Questionnaire. The FFQ was used to capture usual long-term food consumption among adults living in Quebec. A representative sample of adults aged 18 to 82 (57% female) was recruited by random digit dialling in the Montreal region. Approximately 64% of recruits completed and returned the instrument by mail (n=248). The FFQ was validated in a subsample (n=94, 61% female) using four nonconsecutive food records (FRs). Median energy intakes (in kcal) for men and women, respectively, were FFQ (total sample) 2,112 and 1,823, FFQ (subsample) 2,137 and 1,752, and FR (subsample) 2,510 and 1,830. Spearman correlation analyses between FFQ and FR nutrients were positive (with r ranging from 0.32 for folate to 0.58 for saturated fatty acids) and statistically significant (p<0.001), with better results among women. On average, cross-classification of energy and 24 nutrients from the FFQ and means of four FRs placed 39% into identical quartiles and 78% into identical and contiguous quartiles, with only 4% frankly misclassified. These results suggest that the FFQ is a relatively valid instrument for determining usual diet in Quebec adults.

To determine the health and social benefits of the family mealtime, we examined the contribution of immigrant mothers’ food motives to the importance placed on family meals, and cultural differences in mothers’ food motives and the importance ascribed to family meals. Data were taken from a study on food choice factors among ten- to 12-year-old children from three cultural communities in Montreal. A 24-item, self-administered questionnaire was used to explore food choice motives. Each mother was also asked how important it was for her family to take the time to eat together, and if the child enjoyed sharing meals with his or her family. In all, 209 of the 653 questionnaires distributed were valid; 68 were from Haitian, 75 from Portuguese, and 66 from Vietnamese mothers. Five factors emerging from factor analyses explained 61.67% of the variance. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences between mothers’ countries of origin for the importance placed on health, pleasure, familiarity, and ingredient properties (p<0.005). Among Haitian and Portuguese mothers, health motivations emerged as the only significant predictor of the importance given to family meals, whereas for Vietnamese mothers, both health and eating familiar foods were predictors (p<0.05).

Au Nouveau-Brunswick, il existe peu d'information qui décrit l'intégration de la recherche à la pratique diététique. Cette étude avait pour but de décrire la place de la recherche dans la pratique diététique et de déterminer le nombre de diététistes du Nouveau-Brunswick possédant une formation en méthodologie de la recherche. Un questionnaire validé a été posté aux membres de l'Association des diététistes du Nouveau-Brunswick. Un taux de participation de 76 % a été obtenu. Pour 85 % des diététistes, la scolarité la plus élevée est l'internat et 15 % possèdent un diplôme de cycles supérieurs. Cinquante-cinq pour cent des diététistes ont affirmé avoir une formation en méthodologie de la recherche. Les diététistes ayant une formation de cycles supérieurs percevaient moins d'obstacles à l'intégration de la recherche à la pratique. Quatre-vingt-un pour cent des diététistes ont cité le manque de temps alloué à la recherche au travail comme l'obstacle le plus important. Près des deux-tiers (63 %) ont affirmé qu'il est peu ou pas probable qu'elles entreprennent des études supérieures. La probabilité de poursuivre des études aux cycles supérieurs diminuait avec l’âge. Les obstacles à la poursuite d’études aux cycles supérieurs mentionnés dans 85 % des cas étaient « les obligations personnelles et familiales » et « le manque de temps ». L'attitude des diététistes néo-brunswickoises envers la recherche était par ailleurs positive.