1. Construct validity and reliability of the Canadian Eating Practices Screener to assess eating practices based on 2019 Canada's Food Guide recommendations.
- Author
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Perreault M, Wallace A, Martin A, Sadowski A, Laila A, Lemieux S, Hutchinson JM, Kirkpatrick SI, Simpson JR, Guenther PM, Lamarche B, Jessri M, Louzada MLC, Olstad DL, Prowse R, Vatanparast H, and Haines J
- Subjects
- Canada, Cross-Sectional Studies, Reproducibility of Results, Surveys and Questionnaires, Eating, Feeding Behavior, Fruit
- Abstract
For the first time since its introduction, the 2019 Canada's Food Guide (2019-CFG) highlighted specific guidance on eating practices, i.e., recommendations on where, when, why, and how to eat. The Canadian Eating Practices Screener / Questionnaire court canadien sur les pratiques alimentaires was developed to assess eating practices based on the 2019-CFG healthy eating recommendations. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the construct validity and reliability of the Canadian Eating Practices Screener. From July to December 2021, adults ( n = 154) aged 18-65 years completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the screener. Construct validity was assessed by examining variability in screener scores, by comparing screener scores among subgroups with hypothesized differences in eating practices, and by examining the correlation between screener scores and fruit and vegetable intake. Reliability, i.e., internal consistency, was assessed by calculating Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Screener item scores were summed to provide a total score ranging from 21 to 105. The mean screener score was 76 (SD = 8.4; maximum, 105), ranging from 53 (1st percentile) to 92 (99th percentile). Differences in total scores in hypothesized directions were observed by age ( p = 0.006), perceived income adequacy ( p = 0.09), educational attainment ( p = 0.002), and smoking status ( p = 0.09), but not by gender or health literacy level. The correlation between screener scores and fruit and vegetable intake was 0.29 ( p = 0.002). The Cronbach's coefficient alpha was 0.79, suggesting acceptable to high internal consistency. Study findings provide preliminary evidence of the screener's construct validity and reliability, supporting its use to assess eating practices based on the 2019-CFG healthy eating recommendations., Competing Interests: This project was funded by Health Canada through a contract to JH. JH has received funding from the Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research, CIHR, Danone Institute International, Danone Institute North America, Health Canada, and the National Institutes of Health. SIK has received funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, AI for Good, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research, Health Canada, the National Institutes of Health, the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. SIK is a member of the Health Canada Nutrition Science Advisory Committee and the CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Diabetes Institute Advisory Board. SL has received funding from CIHR. BL has received funding from CIHR (ongoing), the Fonds de recherche du Québec—Santé (FRQS) (ongoing), Fonds de recherche du Québec—Nature et technologies (NT) (ongoing), the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux (MSSS) du Québec (ongoing), Health Canada (completed in 2021), and Atrium Innovations (completed in 2019). BL is a member of the Canadian Nutrition Society Advisory Board. The remaining authors have no competing interests to disclose.
- Published
- 2023
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