Validity and Reproducibility of a Precoded Questionnaire to Assess Fruit and Vegetable Intake in European 11- to 12-Year-Old Schoolchildren

Abstract

Background/Aims: Validity and reproducibility were evaluated of a new questionnaire to assess fruit and vegetable intakes in 11- to 12-year-old children. Methods: The precoded teacher-assisted self-administered questionnaire included two sections: a 24-hour recall part and a food frequency part. Validity was tested in 4 countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Portugal; n = 43–60 per country) using a 1-day weighed food record and 7-day food records as reference methods. Test-retest (7–12 days apart) reproducibility was assessed in 6 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Spain; n = 60–74 per country). Results: Spearman rank correlations for fruit and vegetable intake according to the frequency part and the 7-day food record ranged between r = 0.40–0.53. Between 25–50% were classified into the same quartile and 70–88% into the same or adjacent quartile. Test-retest Spearman rank correlations for the food frequency part were r = 0.47–0.84. Three countries showed no significant difference between fruit intake as assessed with the 24-hour recall part and the 1-day weighed food record, and 2 countries showed no significant difference for vegetables. In the other countries, the 24-hour recall part resulted in substantially higher mean intake levels. Conclusion: Validity and reproducibility as to ranking of subjects were regarded to be satisfactory in all countries. Group mean intake, based on the original 24-hour part, was valid for fruit in 3 countries and for vegetables in 2 countries, and this part was subsequently adjusted to avoid overestimation, before the questionnaire was used in the Pro Children study.

Role of free school lunch in the associations between family-environmental factors and children's fruit and vegetable intake in four European countries

“…Answer options ranged over an eight-point scale ('never', 'less than 1 d/week', '1 d/week', '2-4 d/week', '5-6 d/week', 'every day, once daily', 'every day, twice daily' and 'every day, more than twice daily'). The food frequency questions proved to be fairly accurate in ranking children's fruit and vegetable intake (33) . The children's intake variables of fruits, salads and grated vegetables, raw vegetables and cooked vegetables were all separately dichotomised to 'not daily' and 'daily' intake.…”

Associations of parental feeding styles with child snacking behaviour and weight in the context of general parenting

“…Children's snacking behaviour Child fruit, energy-dense snack and SSB intakes were measured with a questionnaire based on validated FFQ (37,38) . --The reliability of the parental feeding style scales was assessed by calculating Cronbach's a values (internal consistency) and (average) corrected item-total correlations, which indicate the degree to which an individual item relates to the total scale score.…”

General parenting styles are not strongly associated with fruit and vegetable intake and social–environmental correlates among 11-year-old children in four countries in Europe

“…Results showed good test-retest reliability (Spearman r from 0?45 to 0?77) and adequate validity comparing the foodfrequency questions with 7 d food records (Spearman r from 0?38 to 0?53). Frequencies were re-coded into portions per day (22) . The child questionnaire also included personal factors, social factors and environmental factors as potential correlates of fruit intake and vegetable intake.…”