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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Sep 24.
Published in final edited form as: J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Sep;111(9):1306–1313. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2011.06.011

Table 2.

Validity of Survey Items on Nutrition and Physical Activity

Validation Method N No. Response Levels Percent Agreement Confidence Intervals

Nutrition (13 items)
Staff consume same foods as children Interview 32 2 96.9 (90.5, 100.0)
Frequency of cooking activities Interview 33 5 94.5 (92.0, 97.0)
Communication with parents via special events Interview 33 2 93.9 (85.3, 100.0)
Food at celebrations Interview 33 3 90.9 (82.1, 99.7)
Staff use food as a reward Interview 33 2 90.9 (80.6, 100.0)
Frequency of parents receiving nutrition information Interview 33 5 90.7 (86.2, 95.2)
Fundraising items Interview 32 3 85.9 (75.2, 96.7)
Staff use food as a behavioral consequence Interview 33 2 84.8 (71.9, 97.8)
Frequency of nutrition instruction Interview 33 5 84.2 (77.5, 90.7)
Staff training on eating environment Interview 29 2 69.0 (51.1, 86.9)
Staff sit with children during meals Interview 33 3 63.6 (46.3, 81.0)
Staff consume unhealthy foods in front of children Observation 31 2 90.3 (79.3, 100.0)
Staff sit with children during meals Observation 32 3 88.3 (81.0, 95.5)
Staff consume same foods as children Observation 31 2 87.1 (74.6, 99.6)
Water availability Observation 32 3 82.0 (73.1, 91.0)
Physical Activity Environment (9 items)
Frequency of computer use Interview 30 5 96.9 (95.7, 98.0)
Frequency of TV viewing Interview 32 5 92.4 (85.5, 99.2)
Amount of active play Interview 33 5 88.5 (83.2, 93.9)
Staff withhold physical activity as behavioral consequence Interview 33 2 69.7 (53.1, 86.2)
Physical activity training Interview 26 2 57.7 (37.3, 78.0)
Frequency of outdoor play Observation 30 3 90.0 (82.4, 97.5)
Indoor space suitability for physical activity Observation 31 3 80.7 (71.6, 89.7)
Staff withhold physical activity as behavioral consequence Observation 32 2 81.3 (67.0, 95.5)
Physical activity books/posters in classroom Observation 31 2 48.4 (29.8, 67.0)
Small equipment in classroom Observation 28 2 39.3 (20.0, 58.6)
Policies (6 items)
Foods from home Interview 33 4 87.8 (77.5, 98.0)
Celebrations at school Interview 33 4 87.5 (76.6, 98.3)
Foods as reward Interview 33 4 82.5 (73.3, 91.7)
Limits on computer use Interview 31 4 81.7 (71.0, 92.4)
Physical education/physical activity Interview 32 4 79.2 (67.8, 90.5)
Nutrition standards exceed CACFP requirements Interview 33 4 70.0 (56.5, 83.5)
Barriers to Promoting Health (15 items)
Unhealthy food fundraisers Interview 33 2 93.9 (85.3, 100.0)
Nutrition policies Interview 33 2 90.9 (80.6, 100.0)
Inadequate food preparation/storage Interview 33 2 84.9 (71.9, 97.8)
Physical activity policies Interview 33 2 84.8 (71.9, 97.8)
Unhealthy food celebrations Interview 33 2 81.8 (67.9, 95.7)
Quality of food service provider Interview 33 2 78.8 (64.1, 93.5)
Teachers Interview 33 2 78.8 (64.1, 93.5)
Parents Interview 33 2 72.8 (56.7, 88.8)
Lack of staff training on nutrition education Interview 33 2 69.7 (53.1, 86.2)
Limited opportunities for PE/quality of physical activity equipment Interview 33 2 69.7 (53.1, 86.2)
Lack of nutrition education resources Interview 33 2 66.7 (49.7, 83.6)
Lack of staff training on PE Interview 33 2 66.7 (49.7, 83.6)
Lack of funding Interview 33 2 63.6 (46.3, 81.0)
Lack of appropriate PE and PA resources Interview 33 2 63.6 (46.3, 81.0)
Limited time to teach nutrition Interview 33 2 54.5 (36.6, 72.4)