Abstract
Citation
Ghirardelli A, Quinn V, Sugerman S. Reliability of a retail food store survey and development of an accompanying retail scoring system to communicate survey findings and identify vendors for healthful food and marketing initiatives. J Nutr Educ Behav 2011 Jul-Aug;43(4 Suppl 2):S104-12.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To develop a retail grocery instrument with weighted scoring to be used as an indicator of the food environment. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Twenty six retail food stores in low-income areas in California. INTERVENTION: Observational. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Inter-rater reliability for grocery store survey instrument. Description of store scoring methodology weighted to emphasize availability of healthful food. ANALYSIS: Type A intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) with absolute agreement definition or a κ test for measures using ranges as categories. RESULTS: Measures of availability and price of fruits and vegetables performed well in reliability testing (κ = 0.681-0.800). Items for vegetable quality were better than for fruit (ICC 0.708 vs 0.528). Kappa scores indicated low to moderate agreement (0.372-0.674) on external store marketing measures and higher scores for internal store marketing. "Next to" the checkout counter was more reliable than "within 6 feet." Health departments using the store scoring system reported it as the most useful communication of neighborhood findings. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: There was good reliability of the measures among the research pairs. The local store scores can show the need to bring in resources and to provide access to fruits and vegetables and other healthful food.
Full Text
The full text is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2011.03.003
At A Glance
Food Environment Variables
| # | Type of Environment/Institution |
|---|---|
| 26 | Grocery Store |
| 21 | Neighborhood |
| Measure | objective | perceived |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability/Pricing | ✔ | ✘ |
| Availability/Access | ✔ | ✘ |
| Facility Adequacy/Appeal | ✔ | ✘ |
| Food Quality | ✔ | ✘ |
| Labeling/Point of Purchase Info | ✔ | ✘ |
| Marketing/Advertising/Promotion | ✔ | ✘ |
| Product Placement/Shelf Space | ✔ | ✘ |
| Food Group/Type of Food |
|---|
| Fruits and vegetables |
| Low-fat dairy |
| Whole grains |
| Accepts WIC and FS, Displays WIC and FS signage, Participates in Network Fruit, Vegetable, and Physical Activity Retail Program |
| Meat/fish/poultry/eggs |
| Low-fat foods other than dairy |
Domain(s)
Food Environment
Measure Type
Environmental observation
Measure Availability
Measure included in article
Number of Items
29 Reported
Study location
Metro/Urban, Small Town/Rural
Not reported
Languages
English
Information about Development of Measure
The Communities of Excellence in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention (CX3) Food Availability and Marketing Survey was pilot-tested among other instruments by six local health departments in low income neighborhoods that ranged from dense urban to rural. The store survey was designed to be implemented by groups of varying abilities, specifically, youth or community members. The availability and quality of fresh fruit and vegetables were collected using items adapted from the Food Stores Survey for the Girls Health Enrichment Multi-Site Study.
Study Design
Study Participants
Age
Not applicable
Sex
Not applicable
Race/Ethnicity
Not reported
Predominantly Low-income/Low-SES
Yes
Sample Size
21
Study Design
Design Type
Validation/Reliability
Health Outcomes Assessed
None
Obesity Measures
Not applicable
BMI Measured or Self-reported
Not applicable
Covariates
Not available
Data Reported on Race/Ethnicity
Not applicable
Data Reported on SES
Quantitative data for community or area
SES-related Variables
Income
How To Use
Administration
Who Administered
Researcher-administered
How Administered
In-person
Time Required
Not reported
Training Required
Yes, time not reported
Instructions on Use
Instructions on instrument use included in article
Data Analysis
Data Collection/Analysis Costs
Not reported
Data Collection/Protocol
Two separate pairs of researchers surveyed a store sample comparable with the mix of store types among previously surveyed neighborhoods, using methods that matched those from trainings and survey protocols. The availability, quality and price of fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods were collected, as well as exterior marketing conditions and ads and products at the checkout counter.
Instructions on Data Analysis
Instructions on analysis included in article
Validity (0)
There are no validity tests reported for this measure.
Reliability (6)
| Type of reliability | Construct/subscale assessed | Test/statistic used | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-rater | CX3 Food Availability and Marketing Survey, store exterior: ads on windows and doors of store front | Kappa (K) | K = 0.372, p < 0.05 to 0.674, p < 0.001 |
| Inter-rater | CX3 Food Availability and Marketing Survey, store exterior promotions and conditions | Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) | ICC = 0.857 |
| Inter-rater | CX3 Food Availability and Marketing Survey, store interior: presence of ads or promotions for less healthful products | Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) | ICC = 0.830, p < 0.001 |
| Inter-rater | CX3 Food Availability and Marketing Survey, store interior: presence of ads or promotions for healthful products | Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) | ICC = 0.697, p < 0.001 |
| Inter-rater | CX3 Food Availability and Marketing Survey, overall quality of fruits and vegetables inside and outside the store | Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) | ICC = 0.528, p < 0.001 for fruits ICC = 0.708, p < 0.001 for vegetables |
| Inter-rater | CX3 Food Availability and Marketing Survey, overall availability of fruits and vegetables inside and outside the store | Kappa (K) | K = 0.681, p < 0.001 for fruits K = 0.704, p < 0.001 for vegetables |