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

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.