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Construct Validity of an Obesity Risk Screening Tool in Two Age Groups
Karissa L Peyer1, Greg J Welk2
1Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 518 Oak Street, Metro 105 Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA. Karissa-peyer@utc.edu.
Insights
The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) tool is more effective for assessing younger children's home environments than adolescents. School socioeconomic status (SES) is a better indicator of adolescent weight status.
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Home environment significantly impacts child health and development.
- The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) screening tool assesses home environments, but its effectiveness across different age groups is not well-established.
- Understanding age-specific utility of assessment tools is crucial for targeted health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of the FNPA screening tool in evaluating home environments for first graders versus tenth graders.
- To determine if the FNPA tool's utility varies by age group when linked to child health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Parents of first (n=250) and tenth (n=99) graders completed the FNPA tool.
- FNPA scores were analyzed based on demographics (gender, income, race) and school-level socioeconomic status (SES).
- Associations between FNPA scores and body mass index (BMI) indicators were examined using correlations, logistic, and linear regression analyses.
Main Results:
- Mean FNPA scores differed by age group and SES in both samples; race influenced scores only in first graders.
- Correlations between FNPA scores and BMI indicators were stronger in the first-grade sample.
- School SES significantly predicted BMI in tenth graders, but not in first graders.
Conclusions:
- The FNPA screening tool demonstrates greater utility for assessing home environments in younger children (first grade) compared to adolescents (tenth grade).
- School-level socioeconomic status emerges as a more significant predictor of weight status in adolescents than the home environment as measured by the FNPA.
- Findings suggest tailoring health assessments and interventions based on age and considering broader socioeconomic factors for adolescents.
Abstract:
Home environment influences child health, but the impact varies as children move into adolescence. The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) screening tool has been used to evaluate home environments, but studies have not compared the utility of the tool in different age groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the FNPA tool in first and tenth grade samples. Parents of first grade (n = 250) and tenth grade (n = 99) students completed the FNPA and results were linked to body mass index (BMI) data. FNPA scores were examined by gender, income, race, and school-level socioeconomic status (SES). Correlations examined associations between FNPA scores and several BMI indicators. Logistic and linear regression analyses evaluated the construct validity of the FNPA in both groups. Mean FNPA score differed by age group, by SES in both age groups, and by race in the first grade sample only. Correlations between FNPA score and BMI indicators were higher in the first grade sample, but SES was significantly associated with BMI only in tenth graders. The FNPA has stronger utility in younger children, while school SES is a stronger predictor of adolescent weight status.