Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Implementation of Non-invasive Point of Care Transient Elastography for Evaluation of Liver Disease in Pediatric Populations with Cystic Fibrosis
05:56

Implementation of Non-invasive Point of Care Transient Elastography for Evaluation of Liver Disease in Pediatric Populations with Cystic Fibrosis

Published on: August 29, 2025

459

Pediatric-Adapted Liking Survey (PALS): A Diet and Activity Screener in Pediatric Care

Kayla Vosburgh1, Sharon R Smith2, Samantha Oldman1

  • 1Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.

Nutrients
|July 21, 2019
PubMed

Insights

The Pediatric-Adapted Liking Survey (PALS) reliably screens child and parent health behaviors. The Healthy Behavior Index (HBI) derived from PALS is valid for obesity prevention efforts in clinical settings.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Behavioral Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Clinical settings require efficient screening tools for diet and activity behaviors to support obesity prevention.
  • Brief interventions are crucial for addressing lifestyle factors in pediatric populations.
  • Assessing child and parent behaviors concurrently is important for family-centered health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Healthy Behavior Index (HBI) using the Pediatric-Adapted Liking Survey (PALS).
  • To establish PALS as a useful screening tool for diet and activity behaviors in a pediatric clinical setting.
  • To explore the relationship between the HBI, demographic factors, and child BMI percentile.

Main Methods:

  • The 33-item Pediatric-Adapted Liking Survey (PALS) was administered to 925 children and 925 parents in an urban pediatric emergency department.
  • A Healthy Behavior Index (HBI) was generated from PALS responses to assess internal reliability and construct validity.
  • Criterion validity was examined by comparing HBI scores across different demographic groups and correlating with child BMI percentile.

Main Results:

  • The HBI demonstrated adequate internal reliability and construct validity, with two distinct dimensions identified: less healthy (sweet drinks, sweets, sedentary behaviors) and healthy (vegetables, fruits, proteins).
  • Criterion validity was supported, showing significant differences in HBI scores based on parent vs. child, sex, insurance type, and community income level.
  • Parent HBI scores partially predicted child BMI percentile, and a liking for sweets/carbohydrates mediated the link between low family income and higher BMI percentile.

Conclusions:

  • The Pediatric-Adapted Liking Survey (PALS) is a reliable and valid tool for screening child and parent health behaviors in clinical settings.
  • The Healthy Behavior Index (HBI) can effectively identify variations in health behaviors across different demographic groups.
  • Findings support the utility of PALS for guiding brief interventions and obesity prevention efforts in pediatric care.

Keywords:
childrendiet qualitydietary screenerobesity preventionsweet preference

More Related Videos

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation11:19

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation

Published on: January 17, 2011

18.4K
Author Spotlight: Simulating Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Using a Neonatal Piglet Model04:55

Author Spotlight: Simulating Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Using a Neonatal Piglet Model

Published on: May 26, 2023

1.3K

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
214
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
263
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
196
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
257
Surveys02:16

Surveys

Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
16.6K
Introduction to Surveying, Plane Surveying and Geodetic Surveys01:27

Introduction to Surveying, Plane Surveying and Geodetic Surveys

Surveying is the art and science of mapping the earth's surface. It involves measuring distances, angles in horizontal or vertical directions, and levels to understand the shape and size of land features. Surveying techniques are essential for various tasks, such as identifying the levels of a land area with reference to a specific point, and mapping undulations and water bodies.There are two main types of surveying: plane surveys and geodetic surveys. Plane surveys assume the earth is flat,...
1.0K