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Validation of a fruit, juice, and vegetable availability questionnaire
Tara Marsh1, Karen Weber Cullen, Tom Baranowski
1USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
|May 3, 2003
Summary
Self-reported home availability of fruits and vegetables is a valid measure. This study found substantial agreement between reported and observed inventories, suggesting its effectiveness for assessing dietary resources.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health Research
- Dietary Assessment Methods
Background:
- Assessing home availability of fruits and vegetables is crucial for understanding dietary patterns and informing public health interventions.
- Existing methods for measuring home availability may have limitations in terms of cost, time, and participant burden.
- Developing valid and efficient self-report measures is essential for large-scale nutritional epidemiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of a self-report questionnaire designed to measure the availability of fruits, 100% fruit juices, and vegetables in the home environment.
- To compare self-reported data with objective inventory data to determine the validity of the self-report measure.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study design was employed, utilizing in-home interviews with parents of 48 fourth to sixth-grade children.
- Participants completed scales assessing the home availability of fruits, 100% fruit juices, and vegetables over the preceding 7 days.
- Self-reported data were compared against an observed home inventory conducted on the day of the interview.
Main Results:
- Substantial agreement was observed between the self-reported home availability measures and the actual home inventory for a majority of fruit, 100% fruit juice, and vegetable items.
- Statistical analyses, including Cohen's kappa, sensitivity, and specificity, indicated good concordance between the two assessment methods.
Conclusions:
- Self-reported home availability of fruits, juices, and vegetables demonstrates significant validity and can be effectively utilized as a tool in nutritional research and public health surveillance.
- This validated self-report measure offers a practical and efficient method for assessing home food environments, potentially facilitating targeted interventions to improve dietary intake.