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Table 1 Measurement of meal frequencies at age 15, 19 and 27 years and categorisations of variables

From: Meal frequencies in early adolescence predict meal frequencies in late adolescence and early adulthood

Item description

Response categories

Categorisation when applied as determinant variable

Dichotomization when applied as outcome variable

Age 15

   
  

Breakfast/ lunch

 

How often do you eat ....

1) Every day

1) Daily

 

a) Breakfast

2) Several times a week

2) Several times a week

 

b) Lunch

3) Once a week

3) More seldom

 

c) Hot evening meal

4) More seldom

  
  

Evening meal

 
  

1) Daily

 
  

2) More seldom than daily

 

Age 19

   
  

Breakfast/ lunch

All three meal types

How often do you eat ....

1) Every day

1) Daily

1) Daily

a) Breakfast

2) Several times a week

2) Several times a week

2) More seldom than daily

b) Lunch

3) Once a week

3) More seldom

 

c) Hot evening meal

4) More seldom

  
 

5) Never

Evening meal

 
  

1) Daily

 
  

2) More seldom than daily

 

Age 27

   
   

All three meal types

How often do you eat ....

1) Every day

 

1) Daily

a) Breakfast

2) Several times a week

 

2) More seldom than daily

b) Lunch

3) Once a week

  

c) Evening meala

4) More seldom

  
 

5) Never

  
  1. aObserve the change in item formulation from “hot evening meal” at baseline and first follow-up to “evening meal” at second follow-up.