Assessing fat-related dietary behaviors among black women: reliability and validity of a new Food Habits Questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the development of the SisterTalk Food Habits Questionnaire (STFHQ).


METHODS
Formative research was conducted to adapt previous tools for the study's target population. A pilot tool (168 questions) was tested. The new 94-question tool was then used for evaluation of the SisterTalk project. Lastly, a 4-week reliability calibration study of the revised STFHQ was conducted in comparison with a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).


METHODS
Reliability was assessed using test-retest correlations. Validity was assessed by correlations between STFHQ scores with FFQ calculated calories, total fat (g) and percentage of calories from fat. Three scoring methods (ie, introductory, product, and detail) were calculated along with inclusion or exclusion of dining out questions and alternate methods of scoring for food items not consumed.


RESULTS
Reliability (correlation) was 0.87. Inclusion of dining out questions and imputation of zero for food items never consumed were more highly associated with fat intake than other scoring methods. The introductory score was most highly correlated with fat (g), whereas the product and detail scoring methods correlated highest with percentage of calories from fat. Responsiveness to the SisterTalk intervention was highest with the detail score.


CONCLUSIONS
The STFHQ is a reliable and valid tool that may be useful for evaluating dietary change for black women.
Risica
Patricia Markham
PM
Institute for Community Health Promotion, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA. patricia_risica@brown.edu
Burkholder
Gary
G
Gans
Kim M
KM
Lasater
Thomas M
TM
Acharyya
Suddhasatta
S
Davis
Cynthia
C
Kirtania
Usree
U
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
D004041:Dietary Fats