Aim: Iodine deficiency, which has adverse effects on health has re-emerged in Australia. The present study aimed to develop and validate a novel iodine-specific food frequency questionnaire for use in older Australians. Methods: A 49-item food frequency questionnaire that included iodine-rich foods was constructed and administered in 84 men and women aged 60-95 years with normal cognitive function. Dietary iodine intake assessed by the food frequency questionnaire was validated against three repeated 24-hour dietary recalls. Urinary spot iodine concentrations were selected as iodine intake biomarker. Agreement between the two dietary methods was determined using a Bland-Altman plot and intra-class coefficients. Correlations between dietary and urinary iodine were assessed. Forty-three participants repeated the questionnaire after 9 months for reproducibility. Results: Mean iodine intake measured by the food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour dietary recalls did not differ significantly (P = 0.870). The two methods were moderately correlated (r = 0.377; P < 0.05) and the Bland-Altman plots demonstrated an acceptable level of agreement (P = 0.870). Despite an association (r = 0.230; P < 0.05) between urinary iodine concentrations and 24-hour dietary recalls, the food frequency questionnaire was not associated with urinary iodine concentration (r = 0.094; P = 0.40). The method of triads showed coefficients of 0.238 (urinary iodine), 0.953(food frequency questionnaire), 0.396 (24-hour dietary recall) with the unknown true value. Conclusion: A short food frequency questionnaire to assess habitual dietary iodine intake in older Australians has been shown to be valid at the group level with regard to categorising individuals according to their habitual iodine intake. Reproducibility of the food frequency questionnaire remains to be demonstrated.

. (2009). The effect of a calorie controlled diet containing walnuts on substrate oxidation during 8-hours in a room calorimeter. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 28 (5), 611-616.

IntroductionEpidemiological studies indicate an inverse association between nut consumption and body mass index (BMI). However, clinical trials evaluating the effects of nut consumption compared with a nut-free diet on adiposity have reported mixed findings with some studies reporting greater weight loss and others reporting no weight change. This paper describes the rationale and detailed protocol for a randomised controlled trial assessing whether the inclusion of almonds or carbohydrate-rich snacks in an otherwise nut-free energy-restricted diet will promote weight loss during 3 months of energy restriction and limit weight regain during 6 months of weight maintenance.Methods and analysisOne hundred and thirty-four adults aged 25–65 years with a BMI of 27.5–34.9 kg/m2 will be recruited and randomly allocated to either the almond-enriched diet (AED) (15% energy from almonds) or a nut-free control diet (NFD) (15% energy from carbohydrate-rich snack foods). Study snack foods will be provided. Weight loss will be achieved through a 30% energy restriction over 3 months, and weight maintenance will be encouraged for 6 months by increasing overall energy intake by ~120–180 kcal/day (~500-750kJ/day) as required. Food will be self-selected, based on recommendations from the study dietitian. Body composition, resting energy expenditure, total daily energy expenditure (via doubly labelled water), physical activity, appetite regulation, cardiometabolic health, gut microbiome, liver health, inflammatory factors, eating behaviours, mood and personality, functional mobility and pain, quality of life and sleep patterns will be measured throughout the 9-month trial. The effects of intervention on the outcome measures over time will be analysed using random effects mixed models, with treatment (AED or NFD) and time (baseline, 3 months and 9 months) being the between and within factors, respectively in the analysis.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the University of South Australia Human Research Ethics Committee (201436). Results from this trial will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals, national and international presentations.Trial registration numberAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001861246).

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