The development of a food frequency questionnaire for migrant Italian women living within the Illawarra

Measuring food consumption patterns is the basis of many scientific investigations. The aim of this study was to develop a tool that would be able to rank migrant Italian women living within the Dlawarra according to their nutrient intake - particularly phytoestrogens. The Food Frequency Questionnaire is the most appropriate tool, as its ability to rank individuals is well documented. Four 24-hour recalls were obtained from 52 subjects - randomly selected from the population - to represent the foods consumed by the population. Nutritional analyses were conducted on these foods as well as the amounts consumed. A broad range of nutrients were analysed, with emphasis on dietary fibre intake - as this has been linked to the phytoestrogen content of foods. The results indicate that migrant Italian women consume a variety of foods from many cultures, from minestrone to springs rolls to meatpies. Some of the food items consumed had different serving sizes to those stated in other questionnaires. For example; cheese, pasta, and lettuce.