Abstract
<i>Background:</i> College students often do not consume the recommended amounts of beans and legumes. To develop interventions aimed at improving the intake of beans and legumes in the college population, more information is needed on the behaviors, environment, attitudes, and nutrition knowledge (B. E. A. N.) of college students regarding beans. Validated tools to assess these bean-related constructs are currently lacking. <i>Objectives:</i> The objectives of this study are to 1). Gather preliminary qualitative information about bean-related constructs (Phase I); and 2). Create a valid and reliable survey tool to measure the B. E. A. N. constructs with a larger sample of college students (Phase II). <i>Methods:</i> Phase I included cognitive interviews with university students (<i>n</i> = 30) to collect baseline data on the B. E. A. N. constructs. Phase II involved survey development and content validation with 5 content experts and face validation with 5 undergraduate students. A convenience sample of undergraduate students was surveyed to test internal structure and consistency (<i>n</i> = 355), establish convergent and discriminant evidence (<i>n</i> = 351), and measure test-retest reliability (<i>n</i> = 242) of the developed tool. <i>Results:</i> Development and revisions in Phase I and content and face validation resulted in a 13-question survey consisting of four primary constructs of behavior (4 items), environment (2 items), attitudes (5 items), and nutrition knowledge (2 items). In Phase II, factor analysis resulted in one factor of “bean consumption” being created from combining attitude and behavior questions, with factor loadings from .77 to .94. However, two environment and two knowledge questions were retained due to perceived relevancy. The internal consistency was α = 0.97 for the “bean consumption” construct (8 items) and α = 0.96 for the entire survey (12 items). The knowledge construct was validated by those that had taken an introductory nutrition course having significantly higher mean knowledge scores than those that had not taken an introductory nutrition course (<i>p</i> < 0.001; 3.05 ±.89 vs. 2.30 ± 1.62, respectively). The test-retest results ranged from <i>r</i> =.480 to .825 with all correlations being statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.01). The average total score for the pilot testing was 33.7 (± 27) out of a possible 100 points. <i>Conclusion:</i> This validated survey may be used in future research to examine the B. E. A. N. of college students regarding beans. This knowledge may be valuable in developing future effective health promotion interventions with college students.
Highlights
Common themes emerging for the 4 bean constructs included low consumption, perceived lack of availability on campus, positive attitudes, and low nutrition knowledge of types and food groups
This study developed a valid and reliable survey for assessing the behaviors, environment, attitudes, and nutrition knowledge of beans in a college population
This study presents the development and validation of a unique 12-question survey focused on assessment of the behaviors, environment, attitudes, and nutrition knowledge of beans in a college population
Summary
College-age students experience many lifestyle changes, including autonomy with lifestyle choices, [1] which often results in negative changes in dietary behavior. [2] This population, on average, consumes excess amounts of calories, fat, and sodium, and deficient amounts of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. [3, 4] Reduced intake of vitamins and minerals may be related to reported decreases in fruit and vegetable intakes during the transition to higher education, [5] with an average of only 4.8 percent of college students consuming the recommended servings per day in 2015. [6] In addition to low nutrient intake, inadequate fruits and vegetable consumption has been significantly predictive of weight gainMorgan F. [9] Interventions focused on improving nutrient intake and weight status of college-aged individuals would likely benefit from focusing on negative dietary behaviors common in this population. To develop interventions aimed at improving the intake of beans and legumes in the college population, more information is needed on the behaviors, environment, attitudes, and nutrition knowledge A convenience sample of undergraduate students was surveyed to test internal structure and consistency (n = 355), establish convergent and discriminant evidence (n = 351), and measure test-retest reliability (n = 242) of the developed tool. Results: Development and revisions in Phase I and content and face validation resulted in a 13-question survey consisting of four primary constructs of behavior (4 items), environment (2 items), attitudes (5 items), and nutrition knowledge (2 items). This knowledge may be valuable in developing future effective health promotion interventions with college students
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
