Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Introduction: Assessing nutrition knowledge in four-year-olds, a developmental stage marked by limited attention spans and varying comprehension abilities, is challenging with traditional methods. A reliable test is pivotal for establishing a foundation for future health interventions. We evaluated a 13-question nutrition and healthy habits test in Pre-K4 children to assess reliability and sensitivity to detect differences.
Methods: Calculations included Cronbach's alpha, kappa coefficient, McNemar analysis by item, and Bland-Altman plots for test-retest differences. Mixed model regression assessed the questionnaire's sensitivity by sex and association with age. Item response theory (IRT) models were employed, generating latent abilities for students and individual scores using Bayesian modeling.
Results: Among 61 pairs of tests, kappa coefficients ranged from 57% to 82%, with 12 questions showing reliable McNemar tests [Except Q1: Select the vegetable, p=0.006]. The internal consistency of items yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.72. Test-retest reliability, assessed by intraclass coefficients, was 0.58 and 0.73 for single and average measures, respectively (p
Conclusion: The Pre-K questionnaire exhibited consistency and validity. This evaluation is crucial for appraising the effectiveness of educational programs, fostering an improved understanding of nutrition, and promoting healthier dietary habits in young children.
Academic/Professional Position
Community Partner
Recommended Citation
Wang, Lin; Cortez, Karla; Rodriguez, Brenda; Reyes, Joseph; Cisneros, Moises; Alanis, Elizabeth; Romero, Zasha; Salinas, Lisa Michelle Belzer; López Alvarenga, Juan; and Treviño-Peña, Roberto, "Assessing the Reliability, Internal Consistency, and Sensitivity of a Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire for Four-Year-Old Pre-K Children" (2024). Research Symposium. 7.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2024/talks/7
Included in
Early Childhood Education Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, Other Nutrition Commons
Assessing the Reliability, Internal Consistency, and Sensitivity of a Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire for Four-Year-Old Pre-K Children
Introduction: Assessing nutrition knowledge in four-year-olds, a developmental stage marked by limited attention spans and varying comprehension abilities, is challenging with traditional methods. A reliable test is pivotal for establishing a foundation for future health interventions. We evaluated a 13-question nutrition and healthy habits test in Pre-K4 children to assess reliability and sensitivity to detect differences.
Methods: Calculations included Cronbach's alpha, kappa coefficient, McNemar analysis by item, and Bland-Altman plots for test-retest differences. Mixed model regression assessed the questionnaire's sensitivity by sex and association with age. Item response theory (IRT) models were employed, generating latent abilities for students and individual scores using Bayesian modeling.
Results: Among 61 pairs of tests, kappa coefficients ranged from 57% to 82%, with 12 questions showing reliable McNemar tests [Except Q1: Select the vegetable, p=0.006]. The internal consistency of items yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.72. Test-retest reliability, assessed by intraclass coefficients, was 0.58 and 0.73 for single and average measures, respectively (p
Conclusion: The Pre-K questionnaire exhibited consistency and validity. This evaluation is crucial for appraising the effectiveness of educational programs, fostering an improved understanding of nutrition, and promoting healthier dietary habits in young children.