Assessing factorial and convergent validity and reliability of a food behaviour checklist for Spanish-speaking participants in US Department of Agriculture nutrition education programmes

Abstract

Objective To assess convergent validity, factorial validity, test–retest reliability and internal consistency of a diet quality food behaviour checklist (FBC) for low-literate, low-income Spanish speakers. Design Participants (n 90) completed three dietary recalls, the Spanish-language version of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) and the Spanish-language FBC. Factor structure was examined using principal component analysis. Spearman correlation coefficients between FBC item responses and nutrient intakes from 24 h recalls were used to estimate convergent validity. Correlation coefficients were also calculated between FBC item responses at two time points in another group of participants (n 71) to examine test–retest reliability. Cronbach's α coefficient was determined for items within each sub-scale. Setting Non-profit community agencies serving low-income clients, migrant farm worker camps and low-income housing sites in four California counties. Subjects Spanish-speaking women (n 161) who met income eligibility for the SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education). Results Factor analysis resulted in six sub-scales. Responses to nineteen food behaviour items were significantly correlated with hypothesized 24 h recall data (with a maximum correlation of 0·44 for drinking milk and calcium) or the USDA HFSSM (0·42 with the food security item). Coefficients for test–retest reliability ranged from 0·35 to 0·79. Cronbach's α ranged from 0·49 for the diet quality sub-scale to 0·80 for the fruit and vegetable sub-scale. Conclusions The twenty-two-item FBC and instruction guide will be used to evaluate USDA community nutrition education interventions with low-literate Spanish speakers. This research contributes to the body of knowledge about this at-risk population in California.

Evaluation of Factorial Validity and Reliability of a Food Behavior Checklist for Low-Income Filipinos

“…This item did not perform well when a Spanish-language version of the questionnaire was tested in low-income Spanish speakers and was selected for deletion. 17 If it is found not to correlate with nutrient intake in future studies, this item may be modified and tested further, or may be considered for deletion.…”

“…Similar results were found in a previous study evaluating a Spanish-language FBC, in which the correlation coefficient for the 2 milk and dairy items was also low. 17 This low correlation may have indicated that the 2 items reflected different behaviors within the dairy domain construct. None of the subscales had Cronbach α ≥.90, which suggests redundancies of items.…”

“…Previous studies evaluating the validity of the English and Spanish versions of the FBC involved collection of 24-hour dietary recalls to evaluate convergent validity, and serum carotenoids as a marker of fruit and vegetable intake to assess criterion validity. 13,17 Similar procedures may be followed for further testing of the Tagalog FBC to compare nutrient intake with questionnaire responses. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis may be conducted to confirm the factor structure of the tool in the Filipino population.…”

“…Dichotomous (yes/no) items with a mean of >2.6 and all other items with a mean of >3 were considered to have little potential to reflect behavior change. 17 …”

Misreporting of Dietary Intake Affects Estimated Nutrient Intakes in Low-Income Spanish-Speaking Women

“…Details of the study population, design, and method have been published previously and are presented briefly below. 31 The institutional review board from the University of California, Davis approved the study protocol and all participants provided written informed consent.…”