title: Measurement characteristics of dietary psychosocial scales in a Weight Gain Prevention Study with 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls.
abstract: Few measurement instruments for children's eating behaviors and beliefs have been specifically validated for African-American children. Validation within this population is important because of potential cultural and ethnic influences. Objectives were to evaluate established and newly developed or adapted dietary psychosocial measures in a sample of 303 preadolescent African-American girls and their caregivers. Acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > or = 0.70) was found for measures of girls' self-efficacy for healthy eating, outcome expectancies for healthy eating, positive family support for healthy eating and household availability of low-fat food and fruit, juice and vegetables (FJV). Evidence for concurrent validity was found with significant associations between self-efficacy for healthy eating and lower intake of energy (r = -0.17) and fat grams (r = -0.16). Greater FJV availability was associated with greater FJV intake (r = 0.14) and lower body mass index (BMI) in girls (r = -0.12). Positive family support for healthy eating was associated with higher BMI in girls (r = 0.41). These results contribute to the development of scales to evaluate prevention interventions related to dietary intake in African-American children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology.ancer Control, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. deborah.mittleman@stjude.org
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sherrill-Mittleman
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Klesges
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Lanctot
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Stockton
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Klesges
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013714:Tennessee; D015430:Weight Gain