Development and Validation of a Set of Instruments to Measure Food Environments
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
ISSN
1660-4601
Date Issued
2022
Author(s)
Jacqueline Araneda-Flores
Patricio Oliva Moresco
Gladys Quezada-Figueroa
Luz Lobos-Fernandez
Barbara Leyton
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
URL Institutional Repository
Abstract
<jats:p>Background: There is worldwide interest in measuring local food environments (FEs). The aim of this study was to develop and validate a set of instruments to evaluate FEs in Chile. Methods: Based on the development and validation of four instruments to measure FEs, a literature review, an evaluation by experts, and the implementation of a pilot tool in the FEs of schoolchildren from nine public schools in the commune of Chillán, Chile, were used. Results: A tool to evaluate FEs was provided, based on three dimensions: availability, variety, and advertising of healthy foods. A total of 1928 foods points of purchase were evaluated. The reliability was evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha. Some 74% of the foods’ points of purchase were store locations. The reliability of the four instruments was high to acceptable (store: 0.90; institution: 0.77; street food: 0.74; restaurant: 0.68). Unhealthy foods were highlighted by the scores obtained: store (6.08 ± 4.07; range: 0–13), restaurant (3.95 ± 1.75; range: 0–10), street food (1.18 ± 1.56; range: 0–7), and institution FEs (3.38 ± 2.78; range: 0–9). Conclusions: The results of this tool can provide information to governments for incorporating structural measures to ensure adequate availability, variety, and advertising of healthy foods in different FEs.</jats:p>
Subjects
chile
;
evaluation
;
food environment
;
nutrition
;
food
;
food preferences
;
food supply
;
reproducibility of results
;
restaurants
;
bio bio
;
chile
;
chillan
;
advertising
;
child health
;
food availability
;
food consumption
;
nutritional requirement
;
nutritive value
;
student
;
advertising
;
article
;
chile
;
cronbach alpha coefficient
;
government
;
human
;
nutrition
;
reliability
;
restaurant
;
validation process
;
catering service
;
food
;
food preference
;
reproducibility