title: Validation of 5 stage-of-change measures for parental support of healthy eating and activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the validity of 5 parental stage-of-change (SOC) measures: (1) providing 5 servings/d of fruits and vegetables (FV), (2) limiting television (TV) to 2 h/d, (3) helping children achieve 1 h/d physical activity (PA), (4) limiting sugary drinks (SD) to 1 serving/wk, and (5) limiting fruit juice (FJ) to 4-6 oz/d.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional instrument development study. Construct validity was evaluated by examining whether parental self-efficacy, parental readiness ladder (ladder), and child's behavioral levels (eg, FV consumption) exhibited a theoretically consistent pattern across the SOC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample (n = 283) of parents of children aged 4-10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey assessed SOC, ladder, and child's behavioral level score for each topic (FV, TV, PA, SD, and FJ), and parental self-efficacy for measure except TV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of variance with Tukey-Kramer post hoc tests examined whether variables differed by SOC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Percentages of parents in the pre-action SOC were 34% (PA), 39% (FV), 42% (SD), 45% (TV), and 63% (FJ). Parental self-efficacy, ladder, and child's behavioral level differed significantly by SOC for each topic area (P < .001). Maintenance SOC was significantly higher than pre-action SOC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measured variables exhibited a theoretically consistent pattern across SOC, suggesting construct validity and potential usefulness for obesity prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Boston, MA; Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Electronic address: julie.wright@umb.edu.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Whiteley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Laforge
authors.affiliation: Department of General Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D010290:Parents; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D013690:Television
keywords: measures; nutrition; obesity; parents; readiness; stages of change; sugar-sweetened beverage; television