Jovanovic CES, Kalam F, Granata F, Pfammatter AF, Spring B. Validation and results of a novel survey assessing decisional balance for a whole food plant-based diet among US adults.
Front Nutr 2022;
9:958611. [PMID:
36245546 PMCID:
PMC9557160 DOI:
10.3389/fnut.2022.958611]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance
Consuming a whole food plant-based diet (WFPBD) is a promising, low-risk strategy for reducing risk of prevalent chronic disease and certain cancers, with synergistic benefits for climate and environment. However, few US adults report consuming a WFPBD. Understanding the reasons for this inconsistency is important for developing and implementing interventions for promoting a WFPBD. However, no research to elucidate decisional balance driving current consumption patterns in the US exists.
Objective
This research aims to validate an online survey to assess decisional balance for the consumption of a WFPBD, describe attitudes and beliefs toward adopting a WFPBD, and evaluate socio-demographic differences in decisional balance for consuming a WFPBD among a convenience sample of US adults.
Design
Online cross-sectional data collection followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), validation of internal consistency, and examination of invariance across socio-demographic variables. Sensitivity analysis of full vs. truncated survey to predict self-reported dietary patterns and consumption behaviors were evaluated. Results of the survey and significant differences by socio-demographics were assessed.
Setting
Online survey based on previous research, created via Qualtrics, and administered through MTurk.
Participants
A total of 412 US adults, majority female (66%), White (75%), 30-60 years old (54%), ≥ Bachelor's degree (85%), and earning ≥ $45K (68%).
Main outcomes and measures
Factor loadings, covariance of survey items, associations with self-reported dietary pattern and consumption measures, and differences in pros, cons, and decisional balance across socio-demographic variables.
Results
CFA reduced the survey from 49 to 12 items and demonstrated invariance across socio-demographic variables. Pros and cons varied inversely and significantly (cov = -0.59), as expected. Cronbach's α 's for subscales in the final, reduced model were high (>0.80). Pros, cons, and decisional balance in both the full and the reduced model were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with self-reported dietary pattern and consumption.
Conclusion and relevance
Our analyses indicate the WFPBD Survey is a parsimonious and psychometrically sound instrument for evaluation of decisional balance to consume a WFPBD diet among our sample of US adults. These results may be instrumental for development and deployment of interventions intended to promote consumption of a WFPBD in the US.
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