Validity and Reliability of a Questionnaire Assessing Changes in Dietary Behaviors Among School Children Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jordan

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire to assess changes in dietary behaviors among school children in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of 253 school-aged children from public schools across Jordan. The dietary and lifestyle behavior inventory (DLBI) was developed, incorporating cultural and regional dietary preferences. The questionnaire's validity and reliability were assessed using the content validity index (CVI) and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to evaluate the underlying factor structure. Results: The DLBI demonstrated excellent content validity with a scale content validity index (S-CVI) of 0.997 and a high level of agreement among expert reviewers (total agreement = 116). Reliability analysis showed high internal consistency for dietary behavior scales, with Cronbach's alpha values exceeding 0.9 for fruit (0.869) and vegetable (0.916) consumption scales. Factor analysis revealed strong associations between dietary behavior variables, with factor loadings ranging from 0.688 to 0.889. The study identified significant reductions in physical activity levels among children, with an average Cronbach's alpha of 0.835 for physical activity-related items. The average time to complete the questionnaire was 15 minutes (SD = 5 minutes), with a completion rate of 45.6%. Conclusions: The validated DLBI is a robust tool for assessing changes in dietary behaviors among school-aged children in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight significant dietary patterns and physical activity shifts, emphasizing the need for targeted nutritional interventions.