Reliability of a Kid's Activity and Nutrition Questionnaire for School-Based SNAP-Ed Interventions as Part of a Tiered Development Process

Abstract

Consequently, school-based assessments of children's nutrition and physical activity behaviors are central to understanding SNAP-Ed effectiveness. However, collecting this data can be daunting for states and implementing agencies. On the one hand, schools can provide optimal settings for the evaluation of obesity prevention programs: the audience is captive, class turnover is relatively low, and assessment can be incorporated into curricula. 2,3 Conversely, competing demands on the educational system and lack of top-down support may be powerful barriers to SNAP-Ed programming and evaluation, especially in under-resourced schools. 2,4 A 2013Institute of Medicine workshop offered educator perspectives on nutrition education that highlighted election politics, inadequate funding, lack of teacher training, and severely limited instruction time as persistent obstacles to obesity prevention in schools. 2 In terms of evaluation, measures perceived as intrusive, costly, or overly burdensome are more likely to be challenged