Broadening the scope of nutrition education

Abstract

To design and pilot a questionnaire for assessing youth attitudes about the food system.Nutrition educators provided important topics for food system education through a survey using the Delphi method. The resulting questionnaire of attitude scales was piloted with high school students.The Delphi survey of nutrition educators was conducted through the mail and electronically. A paper and pencil questionnaire was administered to high school students in Family and Consumer Science classes.Delphi participants were members of the Society for Nutrition Education’s Division of Sustainable Food Systems. A convenience sample of high school students completed the pilot questionnaire.Scales measured attitudes about farmland protection, participation in the local food system, hunger in the United States, organic agriculture, and environmental issues related to food.Factor analysis was used to identify constructs. The internal consistency of each resulting scale was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha.Reliability of attitude scales ranged from .59 to .73.Attitude scales were created for the purpose of assessing youth thoughts and beliefs about the local or regional food system. Such assessments can serve as a starting point for food system educators interested in developing effective curricula on food system topics.