RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study is to assess the validity and reproducibility of a FFQ focused on pregnant women living in Northeastern Brazil. DESIGN: Three 24-hour-dietary recalls (24 hR) and two FFQ were applied at 15-d intervals between research stages in order to confirm the validity and reproducibility of the FFQ. Validity assessment was based on Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) or Spearman's correlation coefficient (SCC) between FFQ and the mean of three 24 hR (the 24 hR was used as reference standard), whereas reproducibility assessment was based on the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) among FFQ, and P < 0·05 was set as significance level. SETTING: Public health network of a capital city in Northeastern Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Overall, 100 pregnant women were included in the study. RESULTS: The PCC or SCC adopted in the validity analysis recorded the recommended values (from 0·4 and 0·7) for energy (0·44; P < 0·001), carbohydrate (0·40; P < 0·001), vitamins B2 (0·40; P < 0·001), B5 (0·40; P < 0·001), E (0·47; P < 0·001), B12 (0·48; P < 0·001), phosphorus (0·92; P < 0·001), Mg (0·81; P < 0·001), Se (0·70; P < 0·001), cholesterol (0·64; P < 0·001), saturated (0·76; P < 0·001), polyunsaturated (0·73; P < 0·001) and monounsaturated fats (0·87; P < 0·001) and fibres (0·77; P < 0·001). Mg (0·72; P < 0·001), Fe (0·65; P < 0·001), lipid (0·56; P < 0·001) and energy (0·55; P < 0·001) presented ICC within the recommended reproducibility values. CONCLUSIONS: The FFQ developed in the current study is a useful tool to assess the usual food intake of pregnant women.