Reliability of a dietary questionnaire on food habits, eating behaviour and nutritional knowledge of adolescents

Abstract

Objective: To develop a dietary questionnaire on food habits, eating behaviour and nutrition knowledge of adolescents and to examine its reliability. Design: A cross-sectional baseline survey. The questionnaire was self-administered to study participants twice with 7 days between each administration. Setting: A school community in Pavia, Italy. Subjects: A group of students (n ¼ 72, aged 14-17 y, both sexes) studying in a secondary school in the second year of the course were invited to compile a dietary questionnaire during school time. Informed written consent was obtained from each subject and their parents. Subjects were initially recruited for a nutrition intervention; recruitment was opportunistic and school based. Statistical analyses: Reliability was assessed using the Cronbach's alpha and the Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Cronbach's alpha ranges from a minimum of 0.55 to a maximum of 0.75, indicating that only two sections have a poor internal consistency. The Pearson correlation coefficients range from a minimum of 0.78 to a maximum of 0.88, indicating a very good temporal stability of the questionnaire. All the Pearson correlation coefficients are statistically significant with Po0.01. Conclusions:The present questionnaire has the potential to measure the effects of nutrition interventions on adolescents because of its stability in making comparisons over time. The instruments is low in cost and easy to administer and analyse; moreover, it could be modified appropriately to fit the needs of other populations as well.

Effect of a school-based nutrition education program on adolescents’ nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in rural areas of China

“…The nutrition knowledge items included the main function of necessary nutrients; which food was richer in certain nutrients; and the symptoms and causes of food poisoning. The mean Cronbach's alpha scores was 0.73 [13] and 0.57, with a test-retest reliability of 0.80 [14]. It was translated by a Chinese, who had a Bachelor Degree of Arts, majored in English and then engaged in research focusing on nutrition promotion.…”

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding nutrition and dietary intake of seventh-grade students in rural areas of Mi Yun County, Beijing, China

“…The questionnaire used in 2004 had been pre-tested on a small scale before it was widely used in China. Section B (nutrition knowledge) was derived from two English questionnaires and was translated into Chinese; one questionnaire was accepted as reliable (mean Cronbach's alpha 0.73 [34]), and the internal reliability of the second questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.57 and the test-retest reliability 0.80 [35]. Section D (nutrition attitudes) was drafted as an original in Chinese.…”

Reliability and validity of a healthy diet determinants questionnaire for adolescents

“…Turconi et al (7) described the test-retest reliability and internal consistency of scales measuring self-efficacy, barriers to change food habits and nutrition knowledge among 13-17-year-old Italian adolescents. Hagler et al (8) investigated the reliability of change strategies, self-efficacy, decisional balance, family and peer influences related to fruit and vegetable consumption and dietary fat intake in a sample of 11-15-year-olds for both paper-and computer-based format of the questionnaire.…”