Science behind the survey

Referencing the AES®

Researchers referencing the AES FFQs should use the following citation(s).

Toddler

  • Collins CE, Burrows TL, Truby H, Morgan PJ, Wright I, Davies PSW, Callister R. Comparison of energy intake in toddlers assessed by food frequency questionnaire and total energy expenditure measured by the doubly labelled water method. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013 Mar;113(3):459-63.

Children

  • Watson JF, Collins CE, Dibley MJ, Garg MG, Sibbritt D. The reproducibility and validity of a food-frequency questionnaire for school-aged children. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2009, 6:62. www.ijbnpa.org/content/6/1/62.

Adult

  • Collins CE, Watson JF, Guest M, Boggess MM, Duncanson K, Pezdirc K, Rollo M, Hutchesson MJ, Burrows TL. Reproducibility and comparative validity of a food frequency questionnaire for adults. Clin Nutr. 2014 Oct;33(5):906-14.

Validity and reliability of the AES®

Comparative Validity

Children

  • Watson JF, Collins CE, Dibley MJ, Garg MG, Sibbritt D. The reproducibility and validity of a food-frequency questionnaire for school-aged children. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2009, 6:62. www.ijbnpa.org/content/6/1/62.

Adult

Biomarker - Doubly labelled water

Toddler

  • Collins CE, Burrows TL, Truby H, Morgan PJ, Wright I, Davies PSW, Callister R. Comparison of energy intake in toddlers assessed by food frequency questionnaire and total energy expenditure measured by the doubly labelled water method. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013 Mar; 113(3):459-63.

Parent vs Child

  • Burrows TL, Truby H, Morgan PJ, Callister R, Davies PSW and Collins CE. A comparison and validation of child versus parent reporting of children’s energy intake using food frequency questionnaires versus food records: who’s an accurate reporter? Clin Nutr. 2013 Aug; 32(4):613-618. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+23206381

Biomarker - Carotenoids

Children

  • Burrows TL, Warren JM, Colyvas K, Garg ML, Collins CE. Validation of Overweight Children's Fruit and Vegetable Intake Using Plasma Carotenoids. Obesity. 2009 Jan;17(1):162-8.

Adult

  • Burrows TL, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo M, Boggess MM. Guest M, Collins CE. Fruit and vegetable intake assessed by the Australian Eating Survey food frequency questionnaire and plasma carotenoids: a validation study in adults. Nutrients 2015 May 6; 7(5):3240-51. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25954899

Biomarker – fatty acids

Children

  • Burrows T, Berthon B, Garg ML, Collins CE. A comparative validation of a child food frequency questionnaire using red blood cell membrane fatty acids. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 Jul;66(7):825-9.

Adults

  • Schumacher TL, Burrows TL, Rollo ME, Wood LG, Callister R, Collins CE. Comparison of fatty acid intakes assessed by a cardiovascular-specific food frequency questionnaire with red blood cell membrane fatty acids in hyperlipidaemic Australian adults: A validation study.EJCN, 2016 Dec;70(12):1433-1438. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2016.14

Validity and reliability of the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS)

Comparative Validity

Toddler

Children

  • Marshall S, Watson J, Burrows T, Guest M, Collins C. The development and evaluation of the Australian child and adolescent recommended food score: a cross-sectional study. Nutr. J. 2012;11: 96

Adults

  • Collins CE, Burrows TL, Rollo ME, Boggess MM, Watson JF, Guest M, Duncanson K, Pezdirc K, Hutchesson MJ. The comparative validity and reproducibility of a diet quality index for adults: the Australian Recommended Food Score. Nutrients 2015, 7(2), 785-798. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25625814

Biomarker - Carotenoids

Adults

  • Ashton, L.; Williams, R.; Wood, L.; Schumacher T, Burrows T, Rollo M, Pezdirc K, Callister R, Collins C. (2017) Comparison of Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) and Plasma Carotenoid Concentrations: A Validation Study in Adults. Nutrients, 9, 888
  • Ashton L, Pezdirc K, Hutchesson M, Rollo ME, Collins CE (2017) Is Skin Coloration Measured by Reflectance Spectroscopy Related to Intake of Nutrient-Dense Foods? A Cross-Sectional Evaluation in Australian Young Adults. Nutrients. 10(1):11. Impact factor: 4.196, 201

Studies using the AES® for assessment of dietary intake

Both the child and adolescent and adult AES have been used in >30 research studies to assess the diets of groups of individuals and to measure the effect of programs and interventions to change dietary intake.

Some examples of studies which have used the AES include:

Intervention studies

  • O’Brien, K. M., Hutchesson, M. J., Jensen, M., Morgan, P., Callister, R. & Collins, C. E. (2014) Participants in an online weight loss program can improve diet quality during weight loss: a randomized controlled trial. Nutr J, 13, 82. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25108506
  • Hutchesson, M. J., Collins, C. E., Morgan, P. J., Watson, J. F., Guest, M. & Callister, R. (2014) Changes to dietary intake during a 12-week commercial web-based weight loss program: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr, 68, 64-70. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24129359
  • Collins, C. E., Dewar, D. L., Schumacher, T. L., Finn, T., Morgan, P. J. & Lubans, D. R. (2014) 12 month changes in dietary intake of adolescent girls attending schools in low-income communities following the NEAT Girls cluster randomized controlled trial. Appetite, 73, 147-55. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24239513
  • Morgan, P. J., Collins, C. E., Plotnikoff, R. C., Callister, R., Burrows, T., Fletcher, R., Okely, A. D., Young, M. D., Miller, A., Lloyd, A. B., Cook, A. T., Cruickshank, J., Saunders, K. L. & Lubans, D. R. (2014) The ‘Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids’ community randomized controlled trial: a community-based healthy lifestyle program for fathers and their children. Prev Med, 61, 90-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24380796
  • Pezdirc K, Hutchesson M, Williams R, Rollo M, Burrows T, Wood L, & Collins C. (2016). Consuming high carotenoid fruit and vegetables impacts on skin yellowness and plasma carotenoids in young women: A Single Blind Randomized Cross-Over Trial. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In Press 10th March 2016. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+27160341
  • Williams RL, Wood LG, Collins CE, Callister R. Comparison of fruit and vegetable intakes during weight loss in males and females. EJCN 2016 Jan; 70(1): 28-34. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+26220570
  • Schumacher TL, Burrows TL, Thompson D, Spratt N, Callister R, Collins CE. Feasibility of recruiting families into a heart disease prevention program based on dietary patterns. Nutrients 2015, Aug 21; 7(8):7042-57. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+26308048
  • Aguiar, EJ, Morgan P.J., Collins, C.E., Plotnikoff, R.C., Young M.D., Callister, R. Reductions in weight and HbA1C following a 6-month self-administered, gender-tailored lifestyle intervention for men – the type 2 diabetes mellitus PULSE Program randomized controlled trial. In Press; American Journal of Preventive Medicine 21st July 2015
  • Hollis JL, Williams LT, Collins CE, Morgan PJ. The 40-Something RCT improved fruit intake and nutrient density of the diet in mid-age women. Nutrition and Dietetics 2015 72(4), 316-326. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1747-0080.12215/abstract
  • Kelly PJ, Baker AL, Deane FP, Callister R, Collins CE, Oldmeadow C, Attia J, Townsend C, Ingram I, Byrne G, Keane C and Penning A. Study protocol: A stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial of a healthy lifestyle intervention for people attending residential substance abuse treatment. BMC Public Health. 2015 May 3; 15:465. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25935830
  • Young MC, Plotnikoff RC, Collins CE, Callister R, Morgan PJ. Impact of a male-only weight loss maintenance program on social-cognitive determinants of physical activity and healthy eating: A randomized controlled trial. B J Health Psychology. 2015 Nov; 20(4):724-44. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25777588
  • Aguiar EJ, Morgan PJ, Collins CE, Plotnikoff RC, Callister R. Characteristics of men classified at high-risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus using the AUSDRISK screening tool. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2015 Apr; 108(1):45-54. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25707921
  • Young MC, Lubans DR, Collins CE, Callister R, Plotnikoff RC, Morgan PJ. Behavioral mediators of weight loss in the SHED-IT community randomized controlled trial for overweight and obese men. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2015; 49:286-292. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25341641
  • Aguiar EJ, Morgan PJ, Collins CE, Plotnikoff RC, Young MD, Callister R. The PULSE (Prevention Using LifeStyle Education) trial protocol: a randomised controlled trial of a type 2 diabetes prevention program for men. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2014; 39(1):132-144. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25092484
  • O’Brien K, Hutchesson MJ, Jensen M, Morgan PJ, Callister R, Collins CE. Participants in an online weight loss program can improve diet quality during weight loss: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrition Journal 2014; 13:82. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25108506
  • Morgan PJ, Scott HA, Young MC, Plotnikoff RC, Collins CE, Callister R. Associations between program outcomes and adherence to Social Cognitive Theory tasks: Process evaluation of the SHED-IT community weight loss trial for men. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2014, 11:89. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25011421
  • Morgan PJ, Collins CE, Plotnikoff RC, Callister R, Burrows T, Fletcher R, Okely AD, Young MD, Miller A, Lloyd AB, Cook AT, Cruickshank J, Saunders KL, Lubans DR. The ‘Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids’ community randomized controlled trial: A community-based healthy lifestyle program for fathers and their children. Preventive Medicine 2014; 61:90-99. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+24380796
  • Young MD, Collins CE, Callister R, Plotnikoff RC, Doran CM, Morgan PJ. The SHED-IT weight loss maintenance trial protocol: A randomised controlled trial of a weight loss maintenance program for overweight and obese men. Contemporary Clinical trials. 2014 Jan; 37(1):84-97. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+24246820
  • Collins CE, Dewar D, Schumacher T, Finn T, Morgan PJ, Lubans DR. 12 month changes in dietary intake of adolescent girls attending schools in low-income communities following the NEAT Girls cluster randomized controlled trial. Appetite. 2014 Feb; 73:147-155. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+24239513
  • Golley RK, McNaughton SA, Collins CE, Magarey A, Garnett SP, Campbell KJ, Mallan K, Burrows T. Australasian nutrition research for prevention and management of child obesity: innovation and progress in the last decade. Pediatric Obesity. 2014 Mar 31; 9(6):132-136. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+24687973
  • Blomfield RL, Collins CE, Neve MJ, Young MD, Callister R, Morgan PJ. Impact of Self-help Weight Loss Resources With or Without Online Support on the Dietary Intake of Overweight and Obese Men: The SHED-IT randomised controlled trial. Obesity Research and Clinical Practice. 2014 Sep-Oct; 8(5):e476-87.
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+25263837
  • Schumacher TL, Burrows TL, Cliff DP, Jones RA, Okely AD, Baur LA , Morgan PJ, Callister R, Boggess MM, Collins CE. Dietary intake is related to multifactor cardiovascular risk score in obese boys. HealthCare 2014; 2:282-298. http://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/2/3/282
  • Duncanson KR, Burrows TL, Collins CE. Effect of a low-intensity parent-focused nutrition intervention on dietary intake of 2- to 5-year olds. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2013 Dec; 57(6):728-34. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+24145618
  • Hutchesson MJ, Collins CE, Morgan PJ, Watson JF, Guest M, Callister R. Changes to dietary intake after a 12 week commercial web-based weight loss program: a randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (2014) 68, 64–70. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+24129359
  • Collins CE, Morgan PJ, Neve MJ, Callister R. Efficacy of standard versus enhanced features in a Web-based commercial weight-loss program for obese adults, part 2: randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2013 22; 15(7):e140. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+23876832
  • Dewar D, Morgan PJ, Okely AD, Collins CE, Batterham M, Callister R, Plotnikoff RC, Lubans DR. The nutrition and enjoyable activity for teen girls study: A cluster randomized controlled. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2013 Sep; 45(3):313-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+23953358 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23317500
  • Burrows, T., Bray, J., Morgan, P. J., & Collins, CE. Pilot intervention in an economically disadvantaged community: The back-to-basics after-school healthy lifestyle program. Nutrition & Dietetics, 2013; 70(4), 270-277. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1747-0080.12023/abstract
  • Morgan PJ, Callister R, Collins CE, Plotnikoff RC, Young MD, Berry N, McElduff P, Burrows T, Aguiar E, and Saunders KL. The SHED-IT community trial: a randomised controlled trial of Internet- and paper-based weight loss programs tailored for overweight and obese men. Ann Behav Med. 2013, 45:139–152. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+23129021
  • Duncanson KR, Burrows TL, Collins CE. Study protocol of a parent-focused child feeding and dietary intake intervention: The Feeding Healthy Food to Kids Randomised Controlled Trial. BMC Public Health 2012, 12:564. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+22839300
  • Burrows TL, Morgan PJ, Lubans DR, Callister R, Okely T, Bray J, Collins CE. Dietary Outcomes of the Healthy Dads Healthy Kids Randomised Controlled Trial. Journal Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2012 Oct; 55(4):408-11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+22516862
  • Collins CE, Morgan PJ, Jones P, Fletcher K, Martin J, Aguiar EJ, Lucas A, Neve MJ, Callister R. A 12-week commercial web-based weight loss program for overweight and obese adults: a randomized controlled trial comparing basic versus enhanced features. J Med Internet Res. 2012 Apr 25; 14(2):e57. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+22555246
  • Lubans DR, Morgan PJ, Okely AD,, Dewar D, Collins CE, Batterham M, Callister R, Plotnikoff RC. Preventing obesity among adolescent girls. One year outcomes of the Nutrition and Enjoyable Activity for Teen Girls (NEAT Girls) Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012 Sep 1; 166(9):821-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+22566517
  • Lubans D, Dewar D, Morgan PJ, Collins CE, Plotnikoff RC. Explaining Dietary Intake in Adolescent Girls from Disadvantaged Secondary Schools: A Test of Social Cognitive Theory. Appetite. 2012 Apr; 58(2):517-24 9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+22227067
  • Morgan PJ, Lubans DR, Plotnikoff RC, Callister R, Burrows T, Fletcher R, Okely AD, Young MD, Miller A, Clay V, Lloyd A, Collins CE. The ‘Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids’ community effectiveness trial: study protocol of a community-based healthy lifestyle program for fathers and their children. BMC Public Health. 2011 Nov 19; 11(1):876. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+22099889
  • Burrows T, Collins CE, Baur LA and Warren JM. Long Term Changes in food consumption trends in overweight children enrolled in the HIKCUPS intervention. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2011 Nov; 53(5):543-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+21670711
  • Morgan PJ, Lubans DR, Callister R, Okely AD, Burrows TL, Fletcher R, Collins CE. The ‘Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids’ randomized controlled trial: efficacy of a healthy lifestyle program for overweight fathers and their children. International J Obes (London). 2011 Mar; 35(3):436-47. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+20697417
  • Morgan PJ, Collins CE, Plotnikoff RC, McElduff P, Burrows T, Warren J, Young MD, Berry N, Saunders KL, Aguiar EJ, Callister R. The SHED-IT community trial study protocol: a randomized controlled trial of weight loss programs for overweight and obese men. BMC Public Health, 2010 Nov, 10:701 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+21078200
  • Collins CE, Morgan PJ, Jones P, Fletcher K, Martin J, Aguiar EJ, Lucas A, Neve M, McElduff P, Callister R. Evaluation of web-based weight loss and weight loss maintenance programs in overweight and obese adults: the Biggest Loser Club Online Australia randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 2010 Nov 3; 10:669. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+21047432
  • Lubans DR, Morgan PJ, Dewar D, Collins CE, Plotnikoff RC, Okely AD, Batterham MJ, Finn T and Callister R. The Nutrition and Enjoyable Activity for Teen Girls (NEAT Girls) randomized controlled trial for adolescent girls from disadvantaged secondary schools: Rationale, study protocol, and baseline results. BMC Public Health, 2010 Oct; 10:652. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+21029467
  • Burrows TL, Warren JM, Baur LA, Collins CE. Impact of a child obesity intervention on dietary intake and behaviors. International Journal of Obesity, 2008; 32(10) 1481‑8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18607380
  • Ashton LM, Morgan PJ, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Collins CE (2017) Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the 'HEYMAN' healthy lifestyle program for young men: a pilot randomised controlled trial. Nutrition Journal. 16 (2).

Cross-sectional Studies

Longitundinal Studies

Pursey KM, Collins CE, Stanwell P, Burrows TL. The stability of ‘food addiction’ as assessed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale in a non-clinical population over 18-months. Appetite. 2016 Jan 1; 96:533-8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMID%3A+26482284

How to purchase the AES®

Click here for pricing options for the AES. It costs as little as $7.20 per survey!