Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Willett

Publications and source records attributed to W Willett.

76 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

The 2 x 2 factorial design: its application to a randomized trial of aspirin and carotene in U.S. physicians.

The 2 x 2 factorial design calls for randomizing each participant to treatment A or B to address one question and further assignment at random within each group to treatment C or D to examine a second issue, permitting the simultaneous test of two different hypotheses. This design can increase the efficiency of large-scale clinical trials. The Physicians' Health Study, a randomized trial of aspirin and beta-carotene among U.S. physicians, illustrates some features and potential problems in the design and analysis of a factorial trial. The most common concern, interaction between treatments, is generally an advantage rather than a limitation of this design. Although such interactions are relatively uncommon, this design provides a means to measure an effect which otherwise might not be apparent. If the interaction is sufficiently severe, however, then loss of power is possible.

Aspirin↗

Questionnaire assessment of antioxidants and retinol intakes in Mexican women.

BACKGROUND: In order to assess intake of antioxidants and retinol, we evaluated the validity and reproducibility of a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. METHODS: Data were collected from 110 women, aged 15-54 years, who resided in the southern part of Mexico City. Study participants were asked to complete the food frequency questionnaire before and after completing four series of 4 days of 24-h diet recalls. We obtained the 24-h recalls at 3-month intervals designed to account for seasonal variability. In addition, we measured serum blood levels of retinol and various carotenoids at 3 and 9 months after baseline. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficients for intake of energy-adjusted daily nutrients, assessed by the questionnaires 1 year apart, ranged from 0.23 for lutein/zeaxanthin to 0.50 for total carotenes. Correlation coefficients between energy-adjusted nutrient intakes were measured by means of the sixteen 24-h dietary recalls, and the second questionnaire ranged from 0.09 for lutein/zeaxanthin to 0.45 for total carotenes. These correlations were higher after adjusting for day-to-day variations in diets ranging from 0.11 for lutein/zeaxanthin to 0.49 for vitamin C. Correlation coefficients between intake and biochemical measures were 0.32 for alpha-carotene, 0.34 for beta-carotene, and 0.40 for total carotene after adjusting for age, body mass index, cholesterol and triglyceride plasma levels, smoking status, and caloric intake. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the ability of our food frequency questionnaire to provide valid information on the relative intake of these nutrients and to confirm its usefulness in epidemiological studies of diet-disease relations. However, its application outside Mexico City or in different age or gender populations will require additional modifications and validation efforts.

Adolescent↗

Validity and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary intake of women living in Mexico City.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reproducibility and validity of a 116 item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), designed to assess the relation between dietary intake and chronic diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To test the reproducibility of the FFQ questionnaire, the FFQ was administered twice to 134 women residing in Mexico City at an interval of approximately one year; to assess the validity we compared results obtained by the FFQs with those obtained by four 4-day 24-hour recalls at three month intervals. Validity and reproducibility were evaluated using regression analysis and Pearson and intraclass correlation coefficients of log-e and calorie-adjusted nutrient scores. RESULTS: Mean values for intake of most nutrients assessed by the two food frequency questionnaires were similar. However, means for the 24-hr recall were significantly lower. Intraclass correlation coefficients for nutrient intakes, assessed by questionnaires, administered one year apart, ranged from 0.38 for cholesterol to 0.54 for crude fiber. Correlation coefficients between energy-adjusted nutrient intakes, measured by diet recalls, and the first FFQ ranged from 0.12 for polyunsaturated fatty acids to 0.67 for saturated fatty acids. Regression coefficients between 24-hr recall and FFQ,s were all significant were significant for all nutrients, except for polyunsaturated fat, folic acid, vitamin E and Zinc. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that this semi-quantitative FFQ is reproducible and provides a useful estimate by which to categorize individuals by level of past nutrient intake. However, its application outside Mexico City or in different age and gender populations will require additional modifications and validation efforts.

Diet↗