The development and evaluation of a novel Internet-based computer program to assess previous-day dietary and physical activity behaviours in adults : the Synchronised Nutrition and Activity Program for Adults (SNAPA™)

Hillier, F.; Batterham, A.; Crooks, S.; Moore, H.J.; Summerbell, C.D.

Abstract

The Synchronised Nutrition and Activity Program for Adults (SNAPA™) was developed to address the need for accurate, reliable, feasible, inexpensive and low-burden methods for assessing specific dietary and physical activity behaviours in adults. Short-term test–retest reliability of SNAPA™ was assessed in forty-four adults (age 41·4 (sd 17·3) years) who completed SNAPA™ twice in 1 day. Concurrent validity against direct dietary observation and combined heart rate and accelerometry was assessed in seventy-seven adults (age 34·4 (sd11·1) years). Test–retest reliability revealed no substantial systematic shifts in mean values of the outcome variables: percentage of food energy from fat (% fat), number of portions of fruit and vegetables (FV) and minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). For lunchtime dietary intake, the mean match rate between food items reported using SNAPA™ and those observed was 81·7 %, with a phantom rate of 5·6 %. Pearson's correlations between SNAPA™ and the reference methods ranged from 0·27 to 0·56 for % fat, FV portions and minutes of MVPA. For % fat and FV intake, there was no fixed or proportional bias, and mean differences between the methods (SNAPA™ − reference) were 5·1 % and 0 portions, respectively. For minutes of MVPA, a fixed bias of − 28 min was revealed when compared with all minutes of MVPA measured by combined heart rate and accelerometry, whereas a proportional bias (slope 1·47) was revealed when compared with minutes carried out in bouts ≥ 10 min. SNAPA™ is a promising tool for measuring specific energy balance behaviours, though further work is required to improve accuracy for physical activity behaviours.

Citation

Hillier, F., Batterham, A., Crooks, S., Moore, H., & Summerbell, C. (2012). The development and evaluation of a novel Internet-based computer program to assess previous-day dietary and physical activity behaviours in adults : the Synchronised Nutrition and Activity Program for Adults (SNAPA™). British Journal of Nutrition, 107(8), 1221-1231. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114511004090

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2012
• Deposit Date: Jul 6, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 9, 2013
• Journal: British Journal of Nutrition
• Print ISSN: 0007-1145
• Electronic ISSN: 1475-2662
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 107
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 1221-1231
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114511004090
• Keywords: Diet, Physical activity, Assessment, Internet.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1507669