Validity and Reliability of the BEVQ-15 in Children and Adolescents

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2016-06-25
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Virginia Tech
Abstract

The prevalence of children and adolescents who are considered overweight or obese has grown drastically in the United States. Childhood overweight and obesity is associated with serious long-term health consequences, including an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, strokes, and different types of cancers. Added sugar intake (AS), in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), may contribute to weight gain and obesity development in children and adolescents. Due to the negative health implications of SSB consumption, a valid and reliable brief beverage intake assessment tool is needed for children and adolescents to advance research in this area. The BEVQ-15 food frequency questionnaire has been validated as a tool to assess habitual beverage intake in adults. By validating this tool in youth, there will be a rapid, feasibly administered method to assess beverage intake in children and adolescents. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the comparative validity and test-retest reliability of the BEVQ-15 for assessing usual beverage intake in children and adolescents. Participants (n=326) completed four laboratory sessions, which included providing demographic information, assessment of height/weight, and four record-assisted 24 hour dietary recalls (24HR) from January 2014-September 2015. The BEVQ was completed at 2 sessions (BEVQ1, BEVQ2). Validity was assessed by comparing beverage intake from dietary recalls (24HR) to the BEVQ1; reliability was assessed by comparing BEVQ responses at two sessions (BEVQ1, BEVQ2). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and chi-squared test, and one-way ANOVA tests. Comparisons of validity and reliability were also made within two subsets; children (aged 6-11) and adolescents (aged 12-18). In the full sample, self-reported water and total sugar-sweetened beverage intake (in fl oz and kcal) were not different between BEVQ1 and 24HR. Responses between BEVQ1 and BEVQ2 were not different in intake (fl oz) or energy (kcal) for water, milk, and total sugar-sweetened beverages. In children, milk and energy (kcal) for total beverages were not different between BEVQ1 and 24HR. No differences were reported between BEVQ1 and BEVQ2 across beverage categories. In adolescents, water and energy (kcal) for total-sugar sweetened beverages were not different between BEVQ1 and 24HR. No differences were reported between BEVQ1 and BEVQ2 with the exception of sweetened juice drinks and total beverages. Overall, these results demonstrate that the BEVQ-15 appears to be a valid and reliable tool to assess habitual water and total SSB intake in children and adolescents. This tool could further epidemiological and clinical research examining the impact of SSB intake, as well as intake of other beverages, on health.

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Overweight and Obesity, Added Sugars, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Food Frequency Questionnaire, BEVQ-15, Children and Adolescents
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