title: Knowledge about dietary fibres (KADF): development and validation of an evaluation instrument through structural equation modelling (SEM).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because there is scientific evidence that an appropriate intake of dietary fibre should be part of a healthy diet, given its importance in promoting health, the present study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to evaluate the knowledge of the general population about dietary fibres.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was a cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The methodological study of psychometric validation was conducted with 6010 participants, residing in 10 countries from three continents. The instrument is a questionnaire of self-response, aimed at collecting information on knowledge about food fibres. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was chosen as the analysis of the main components using varimax orthogonal rotation and eigenvalues greater than 1. In confirmatory factor analysis by structural equation modelling (SEM) was considered the covariance matrix and adopted the maximum likelihood estimation algorithm for parameter estimation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exploratory factor analysis retained two factors. The first was called dietary fibre and promotion of health (DFPH) and included seven questions that explained 33.94% of total variance (α = 0.852). The second was named sources of dietary fibre (SDF) and included four questions that explained 22.46% of total variance (α = 0.786). The model was tested by SEM giving a final solution with four questions in each factor. This model showed a very good fit in practically all the indexes considered, except for the ratio χ(2)/df. The values of average variance extracted (0.458 and 0.483) demonstrate the existence of convergent validity; the results also prove the existence of discriminant validity of the factors (r(2) = 0.028) and finally good internal consistency was confirmed by the values of composite reliability (0.854 and 0.787).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study allowed validating the KADF scale, increasing the degree of confidence in the information obtained through this instrument in this and in future studies.
authors.affiliation: CI&DETS, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal.
authors.forename: R P F
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Guiné
authors.affiliation: CI&DETS, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: CI&DETS, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: CI&DETS, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Maimonides University, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rumbak
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Barić
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Komes
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Satalić
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies, University of Zadar, Croatia.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sarić
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Tirgu-Mures, Romania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tarcea
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Tirgu-Mures, Romania.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fazakas
authors.affiliation: Public Health Institute, Centre for Public Health, Tetovo, Macedonia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jovanoska
authors.affiliation: Public Health Institute, Centre for Public Health, Tetovo, Macedonia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanevski
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vittadini
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.affiliation: National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Szűcs
authors.affiliation: National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harangozó
authors.affiliation: Genetic Engineering Institute, University of Sadat City, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Kenawy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Menoufia University, Egypt.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: El-Shenawy
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Engineering, Abant İzzet Baysal University, Turkey.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yalçın
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Engineering, Abant İzzet Baysal University, Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kösemeci
authors.affiliation: LUA Latvia University of Agriculture, Latvia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klava
authors.affiliation: LUA Latvia University of Agriculture, Latvia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Straumite
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000569:Americas; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005060:Europe; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dietary fibre; Factor analysis; Knowledge about fibres; Scale validation; Structural equation modelling; Survey