Lecture 1: Welcome to NUTR 511: Analysis of Nutrition Data

Question 1

What is data?

Answer 1

facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis
- anything that is recorded

Question 2

Structured vs Unstructured Data

Answer 2

unstructured: the other category on surveys or questionnaires. People can write whatever they want
structured: in nutrition, FFQs

Question 3

Why is dietary intake data unique?

Answer 3

Very variable.

Question 4

What are databases? Give some examples.

Answer 4

Organized data for analyses

• CCHS (Canadian Community Health Survey)
• CHMS (Canadian Health Measures Survey)
• NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)

Question 5

What are Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study?

Answer 5

• they found out that trans fats are bad for health.

Question 6

Give examples for epidemiological investigations that we discussed in class?

Answer 6

• Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study
• EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition)

Question 7

What did the EPIC study find?

Answer 7

• let us understand the link between red meat, processed meat intake and colorectal cancer risk
• dietary fat and potential cancer risk

Question 8

What is CCHS?

Answer 8

Canadian Community Health Survey

• initiated in 2001
• cross-sectional survey that collects information related to health status, healthcare utilization, and health determinants for the Canadian population.

Question 9

What are the objectives of the CCHS?

Answer 9

• Support health surveillance programs by providing health data at the national, provincial and intra-provincial levels
• Provide a single data source for health research on small populations and rare characteristics
• Timely release of information readily accessible to a diverse community of users
• Create a flexible survey that includes a rapid response option to address emerging issues related to the health of the population

Question 10

How does the CCHS collect dietary information?

Answer 10

self-reported 2x24h dietary recalls

Question 11

How many people participate in the CCHS and how often?

Answer 11

at least 65,000 every 2 years

Question 12

What is CHMS?

Answer 12

Canadian Health Measures Survey
- initiated in 2007: collects questionnaire data as well as direct physical measurement (BP, height, weight, physical fitness, bone density, and vision exams)

Question 13

What is the composition of CHMS?

Answer 13

• the first part of the survey is household interview, detailed assessment of health-related topics
• second part of the survey is a visit to a mobile examination center (MEC) to collect physical measures.

Question 14

What are the objectives of CHMS?

Answer 14

• create national baseline data on obesity, hypertension, CVD, exposure to infectious diseases, and exposure to environmental contaminants.
• CHMS Biobank: stores blood, urine and DNA samples to test for chronic and infectious diseases, biomarkers, and for use in future health research projects.

Question 15

How does CHMS collect dietary intake information?

Answer 15

self-reported FFQ and biomarkers

Question 16

How many people participate in the CHMS and how often?

Answer 16

at least 5,000 every 2 years

Question 17

What is the difference between CCHS and CHMS in collecting dietary data?

Answer 17

CCHS uses 2x24h recalls and CHMS uses FFQs

CCHS is getting the recent intake whereas, CHMS is getting the usual intake of Canadians.

Question 18

What is NHANES?

Answer 18

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

- Began in 1960s

Question 19

What are the objectives of NHANES?

Answer 19

• Assess health and nutritional status of adults and children
• Determine the prevalence of major diseases and risk factors for diseases
• Form the basis for national standards for measurement such as height, weight, and blood pressure

Question 20

What does NHANES consist of?

Answer 20

questionnaire data and direct physical measurements

self-reported dietary intake (24h recall) and biomarkers

Question 21

How many people participate in the NHANES and how often?

Answer 21

at least 5,000 per year

Question 22

NHANES vs CHMS

Answer 22

NHANES is the US counterpart of CHMS both collect questionnaire data and biomarkers
NHANES uses 24h recall while CHMS uses FFQs

Question 23

What is health reports?

Answer 23

it is a journal that publishes primary finding of CCHS and CHMS. Not just nutrition but also mental health, physical activity, addiction, etc.

Question 24

What are the exclusions in Canadian surveys?

Answer 24

• infants and children (CCHS excludes <12 years old, CHMS excludes <3 years old)
• living on reserve
• institutionalized
• serving in the military

Question 25

What are the variable types in SPSS?

Answer 25

• Numeric or String

- Continuous (scale), categorical (nominal), ordinal