Improving Quality of Food Frequency Questionnaire Response in Low-Income Mexican American Children

Abstract

The authors evaluated the validity and reliability of the Block Kids Food Frequency Questionnaire (BKFFQ) and the Block Kid Screener (BKScreener) in Mexican American children living along the Texas–Mexico border who participated in the National Institutes of Health–funded Proyecto Bienestar Laredo. The Bienestar/NEEMA health program is a school-based diabetes and obesity control program, and the Proyecto Bienestar Laredo is the translation of the Bienestar/NEEMA health program to 38 elementary schools in Laredo, Texas. Par ticipants included 2,376 eight-year-old boys (48%) and girls (52%) from two school districts in Laredo. Two Food Frequency Questionnaire (BKFFQ and BKScreener) dietary intakes were collected, and an expert panel of nutritionist assigned a classification response quality of “Good,” “Questionable,” and “Poor,” based on playfulness (systematic or nonrandom) patterns and completion rates. In addition, both instruments were assessed for reliability (test–retest) in 138 students from a San Antonio School District. Children’s height, weight, percentage body fat, reported family history of diabetes, and Texas Assessments of Knowledge and Skills in reading and mathematics scores were collected. This study showed that for Mexican American children living along the Texas–Mexico border, within the time constraints of the classroom, BKScreener yielded better data than the BKFFQ.