Reliability of Questionnaires to Assess the Healthy Eating and Activity Environment of a Child's Home and School
Table 1
The 14 parent outcomes grouped into six categories, the individual items contributing to each score and the possible responses for each item.
Category score
Items in each score
No. of items
Response
Food availability
Sweet beverages
Purchasing frequency of diet soft drinks*; regular soft drinks*; fruit juice/drink*; cordial*.
4
Never, rarely, monthly, fortnightly, weekly, or more (assigned 1 to 5, resp.)
Noncore foods
Purchasing frequency of non-core foods*: crisps or similar snacks*; cakes, muffins, and donuts*; savoury biscuits*; sweet biscuits*; muesli bars or fruit bars*; lollies*; chocolates*.
7
Never, rarely, monthly, fortnightly, weekly, or more (assigned 1 to 5, resp.)
Fruit and vegetables
Purchasing frequency of vegetables, fresh fruit; dried fruit.
3
Never, rarely, monthly, fortnightly, weekly, or more (assigned 1 to 5, resp.)
Healthy eating scores
Healthy eating attitudes
Fresh fruit and vegetables are too expensive; I find it difficult to get my child to eat fruit every day; I find it easy to get my child to eat vegetables every day*; my child eating fruit and vegetables every day is a high priority for me*; there are no stores selling fresh fruit and vegetables within 10 minutes walking distance of our home; there is enough information about healthy eating for children in our neighbourhood or school*.
6
Strongly agree; agree; not sure; disagree; strongly disagree
Healthy eating rules
Did the child(ren) watch TV at meal times?* Did the child(ren) have a set meal routine? Were the child(ren) encouraged to eat fruit? Were the child(ren) encouraged to eat vegetables? Were the child(ren) offered dessert as a reward for eating less favourite foods?* Were limits set on the types of foods they can snack on regularly? Were limits set on the types of drinks the children can drink regularly? Were the children reminded to drink water? Did an adult sit down with the children when they ate meals? Did you make something else if the children did not like what was being served?*
10
Never, rarely, sometimes, often, always
Healthy eating child behaviour
Fruit
Serves of fruit consumed each day by child.
1
, or more serves per day
Vegetables
Serves of vegetables consumed each day by child.
1
, or more serves per day
Water
Drink child selects when thirsty.
1
Cordial, fruit juice, fruit drink, soft drink, milk, and water
Knowledge of healthy eating
Fruit
Recommended serve fruit.
1
Less than 1, 1-2, 3–5 and more than 5 per day
Vegetables
Recommended serve vegetables.
1
Less than 1, 1-2, 3–5 and more than 5 per day
Activity scores
Activity attitude
It is not safe for primary school-aged children to walk or cycle alone in our neighbourhood during the day; my child being physically active on most days of the week is not a high priority for me; our closest park/playground from home is safe for primary school-aged children to play in*; there are enough recreation/sports facilities (e.g., tennis courts, skateboard ramp) in our neighbourhood to encourage primary school-aged children to be physically active*; there are playgrounds, parks, and/or ovals within easy walking distance of our home*; there is enough information about physical activity opportunities for children in our neighbourhood or school*; there is enough variety of equipments at home for children to use to be physically active (e.g.; balls, skipping ropes)*.
7
Strongly agree; agree; not sure; disagree; strongly disagree
Activity rules
Were the children encouraged to play outdoors? Were limits set on the amount of time the children can watch TV? Did adult family members walk or cycle to get to or from places (e.g., work, shops)?
3
Never, rarely, sometimes, often, always
Ungrouped
Money
Have run out of food in the last 12 months and did not have the money to buy more.
1
Strongly agree; agree; not sure; disagree; strongly disagree
Breastfeeding
Difficult for women in our neighbourhood to breastfeed in public places.
1
Strongly agree; agree; not sure; disagree; strongly disagree
