TABLE 1.
Question types, response rates, “prefer not to answer” responses, and skipped optional questions
| Question | Question type | Forced response vs. optional | “Prefer not to answer” (out of n = 9726 completed), n (%) | Skipped in optional questions (out of n = 9726 total consented), n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your gender | Multiple choice | Forced | 19 (0) | N/A |
| Your age bracket | Multiple choice | Forced | 7 (0) | N/A |
| Your height in feet and inches. (For example, if you are 6΄2”, enter “6” in the field for feet and “2” in the field for inches. Please round to the nearest inch.) If you prefer not to answer, you can skip this question. | Write-in | Optional | N/A | 69 (1) |
| Your weight in lbs (please round to the nearest lb). If you prefer not to answer, you can skip this question. | Write-in | Optional | N/A | 312 (3) |
| Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? | Multiple choice | Forced | 57 (1) | N/A |
| What is your race? | Multiple choice | Forced | 109 (1) | N/A |
| Do you live in a US state, US territory, or US military base? If you do, please enter your zip code. | Multiple choice | Forced | 101 (1) | N/A |
| Imagine that you were chatting casually about your diet with someone you met in an elevator. Would you use any of the following terms to describe what you typically eat? It's okay if your diet doesn't 100% match what these diets are “supposed to be.” Please choose the one that best matches what you would say or “Other diet” if you follow a diet that is not listed here (you can give your own description in the space provided). | Multiple choice | Forced | 4 (0%) | N/A |
| Please briefly describe your reasons for eating the way you eat currently. If you prefer not to answer, you can skip this question. | Write-in | Optional | N/A | 1052 (11) |
| Do environmental concerns have any influence on your dietary choices? | Multiple choice | Forced | 109 (1) | N/A |
| We would like to know about your history of chronic disease. If you prefer not to answer, you can skip this question. Please select all that apply. | Matrix | Optional | N/A | 72 (1) |
| Did you follow any other diets in the past, prior to eating the way you currently eat? Please select all that apply. | Multiple choice | Forced | 18 (0) | N/A |
| What are your main sources of information on nutrition and cooking for the diet you currently eat? Please select and list all that apply. | Multiple choice | Forced | 956 (10) | N/A |
| Have you taken supplements in the last year, such as vitamin supplements, protein supplements, fiber-type supplements, or other supplements? | Multiple choice | Forced | 10 (0) | N/A |
| During the last 7 days, on how many days did you do vigorous physical activities like heavy lifting, digging, aerobics, or fast bicycling? If you prefer not to answer, you can skip this question. | Multiple choice | Optional | N/A | 907 (9) |
| During the last 7 days, on how many days did you do moderate physical activities like carrying light loads, bicycling at a regular pace, or doubles tennis? Do not include walking. If you prefer not to answer, you can skip this question. | Multiple choice | Optional | N/A | 1460 (15) |
| Think about the time you spent walking in the last 7 days. This includes at work and at home, walking to travel from place to place, and any other walking that you have done solely for recreation, sport, exercise, or leisure. If you prefer not to answer, you can skip this question. | Multiple choice | Optional | N/A | 1831 (19) |
| During the last 7 days, how much time did you spend sitting on one of those days? | Multiple choice | Optional | 141 (1) | 24 (0) |
| Complete online questionnaires about your diet, exercise, lifestyle, and health status? | Multiple choice | Forced | 57 (1) | N/A |
| Complete an online questionnaire (called a “diet recall”) recalling the specific foods you have eaten over the past 24 hours? | Multiple choice | Forced | 138 (1) | N/A |
| Complete a food diary, in which you write down all the foods and portion sizes you consume over the course of the day? | Multiple choice | Forced | 227 (2) | N/A |
| Repeat the same questionnaires about your diet, exercise, lifestyle, and health status every 2–3 years? | Multiple choice | Forced | 68 (1) | N/A |
| Provide a finger-stick blood sample using a kit that we mail to you and you mail back to us? | Multiple choice | Forced | 68 (1) | N/A |
| Provide a blood sample from a full (venous) blood draw, similar to the type of blood draw you would have at your doctor's office? | Multiple choice | Forced | 80 (1) | N/A |
| Provide a urine sample using a kit that we mail to you and you mail back to us? | Multiple choice | Forced | 78 (1) | N/A |
| Provide a stool sample using a kit that we mail to you and you mail back to us? | Multiple choice | Forced | 95 (1) | N/A |
| Come to the Boston area for laboratory measurements (e.g., blood pressure, weight, blood sample)? | Multiple choice | Forced | 85 (1) | N/A |
| If you meet eligibility criteria, may we contact you when we are ready to begin recruitment for the larger online study to invite you to participate? If you answer “yes,” please enter your e-mail address below. We will keep your e-mail address on file for recruitment purpose only. We will not share your e-mail with anyone else. | Multiple choice | Forced | 249 (3) | N/A |
| Would you like to be added to the mailing list for the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University to hear of nutrition news, research, and upcoming events at the center? | Multiple choice | Forced | 194 (2) | N/A |