Validity of a competing food choice construct regarding fruit and vegetable consumption among urban college freshmen

Abstract

Objective: This paper presents the reliability and validity of a "competing food choice" construct designed to assess whether factors related to consumption of less-healthful food were perceived to be barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption in college freshmen.

Design: Cross-sectional, self-administered survey.

Setting: An urban public college with a large, diverse student population.

Participants: A convenience sample of 408 college freshmen.

Variables measured: A "competing food choice" construct and fruit and vegetable intake.

Analyses: Factor analysis, Cronbach α, and correlation coefficients were used to determine the reliability and validity of the construct.

Results: Three factors were produced from the factor analysis of the 11-item competing food choice construct: "competitive food" barriers (Cronbach alpha = 0.73), fruit and vegetable-related "time" barriers (Cronbach alpha = 0.67), and "quality" barriers (Cronbach alpha = 0.64). Construct validity assessments revealed significant inverse correlations between fruit and vegetable consumption and competitive food barriers (r = -0.15, P < .01 current and r = -0.25, P < .01 prior) and time barriers (r = -0.12, P < .05 current and r = -0.10, P < .05 prior).

Conclusions and implications: This "competing food choice" construct demonstrated satisfactory reliability and construct validity among college freshmen.