Diet and Cardiovascular Disease in the Framingham Study

Abstract

A procedure for dietary appraisal applied to 1,049 people in the Framingham Heart Study is described. This adaptation of the Burke interview requires about one hour interview time and an additional hour and a half for the take-off of data by the nutritionist. The computations are then completed by electronic computers. The adaptation was accomplished by grouping foods of similar compositions into about 100 items in ten food groups and by restricting attention to five nutrients that is, calories, protein, fat, iron and cholesterol. The construction of this composite table is described. The time requirements, failure rate and other operational characteristics of the method are shown.