Background

The participants are randomly selected from the Belgian National Register using multistage stratified clustered sampling methods. 

The fieldwork is spread out over 12 months. The selected participants receive an invitation letter and an information leaflet. A few days later, a trained interviewer visits the respondents’ homes to ask them to participate in the survey and makes an appointment for the interview(s). 

Participants provide detailed information about their diets spread over two non-consecutive days via a 24-hour dietary recall (or a food diary for children). They also fill in a Food Propensity Questionnaire between the two home visits. In 2022-2023, additional participants are interviewed in Brussels and the German-speaking Community using a detailed Food Frequency Questionnaire instead. 

The interviewer objectively measures weight, height and waist circumference. In children and adolescents, physical activity and sedentary behaviour are objectively measured using an accelerometer since 2014-2015. 

Data collection is conducted using a Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) with the program GloboDiet® and traditional survey questions. Sensitive data are collected using a self-administered questionnaire.

Please find here the methodology report 

Please find here the methodology report on accelerometers 

The 2022-2023 questionnaires are available in French and Dutch:

• General questionnaire for the Brussels survey:   fcs_questions_brussels_child.xlsx fcs_questions_brussels_adolescent.xlsx fcs_questions_brussels_adults_18-64.xlsx fcs_questions_brussels_adults_65.xlsx
• General questionnaire for the national survey:  fcs_questions_national_child.xlsx fcs_questions_national_adolescent.xlsx fcs_questions_national_adult_18-64.xlsx fcs_questions_national_adult_65.xlsx
• General questionnaire for the German Community: fcs_questions_ger_adult_18-64.xlsx

The 2014-2015 questionnaires are available in French and Dutch:  

• General questionnaire: Children ( Dutch — French), adolescents ( Dutch — French), adults ( Dutch — French)
• Food Propensity Questionnaire: Children ( Dutch - French), adolescents and adults ( Dutch - French)
• Health questionnaire: Children ( Dutch —  French), adolescents ( Dutch —  French), adults ( Dutch —  French)

The National Food Consumption Survey 2014-2015 database is available for external users.

The National Food Consumption Survey 2022-2023 database will be available soon. The steps that have to be followed to query this database are described in detail in this procedure.