Self-efficacy and Norm Measures for Lunch Fruit and Vegetable Consumption are Reliable and Valid Among Fifth Grade Students

Abstract Objective To determine the reliability and validity of a questionnaire measuring fruit and vegetable (FV) self-efficacy and social norms during school lunch among 5th graders. Design In this cross-sectional study, students completed lunch food records and a psychosocial questionnaire measuring school lunch FV self-efficacy and social norms regarding consumption during the fall and spring semesters. Test-retest reliability was assessed between fall and spring semesters. The measurement model was cross-validated in the spring data. Setting One middle school in Houston, Texas. Participants 275 fifth graders in the 1998 fall semester and 262 of these fifth graders in the 1999 spring semester. Main Outcome Measures FV consumption and psychosocial variables. Analyses Principal components analyses, confirmatory factor analyses and bivariate correlations. Results Three scales were identified: Fruit Self-Efficacy, Vegetable Self-Efficacy, and FV Social Norms. FV self-efficacy were positively correlated with low-fat vegetable and fruit consumption. Social norms were positively correlated with total vegetable, low-fat vegetable, fruit and total FV consumption. Conclusions and Implications Self-efficacy and norms for eating FV at school lunch are related to lunch FV consumption. Increasing self-efficacy and social norms about consuming FV at school appears to be important targets to improve FV consumption.