Development and Validation of an Eating and Food Literacy Behaviors Questionnaire with Young Adult University Students (FS16-05-19)

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a survey instrument capable of measuring eating and food literacy behaviors in young adult university students. Methods This study had a cross-sectional design and used an online survey for data collection. Participants included a convenience sample of free-living young adult university students aged 18 to 30 years attending a large public university in the southeastern United States. Descriptive information including age, gender, and race/ethnicity was collected. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach's alpha coefficients, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to develop and validate the instrument. Results Data from 257 students were analyzed in the EFA. Most of the respondents were white (65.8%) and female (65.6%). The mean age of respondents was 20.0 ± 3.4 years. The EFA returned five factors that explained 57.4% of the total variance suggesting acceptable internal structure. Cronbach's alpha values were: 0.89 = health and nutrition, 0.72 = taste, 0.77 = food preparation, 0.64 = planning and decision making, and 0.63 = convenience. Data from 923 students were used in the CFA. Most of the respondents were white (76.4%) and female (50.3%). The mean age of respondents was 20.6 ± 1.8 years. A CFA confirmed that the 5-factor model was an appropriate fit for the data (Chi-squared = 588.05 (142), RMSEA = 0.06, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.05). Conclusions These results suggest that the proposed questionnaire is capable of measuring young adult university students’ eating and food literacy behaviors as they relate to health/nutrition, taste, food preparation, planning and decision making, and convenience. Funding Sources This project was funded in part by Hatch Project #LAB94331.