Author and graduation date: Michelle R. SNYDER, May, 1998

Committee members: Audrey A. Spindler (Chair), Donna L. Beshgetoor, James F. Sallis

Thesis title: Reliability of a Standardized Method for the Assessment of Bag Lunch Contents of Middle School Students

Since very few studies have examined the contents of student bag lunches, the four year Middle School Physical Activity and Nutrition (M-SPAN) project found this information to be essential in order to accurately describe dietary patterns of middle school students. The purpose of the pilot study was to examine the training process of observers and the reliability of directs observation using the Lunch Contents Form (LCF) created by the project team. After a two day training session, trainees were certified as either expert assessors (E. A.) or M-SPAN Certified Assessors (M.C.A.). Student lunches were observed by both an E.A. and a M.C.A. in order to assess interobserver reliability. This study took place at two middle schools in San Diego County during the regularly scheduled lunch periods. The sample included 96 student lunches from 48 girls and 48 boys. Overall, interobserver reliability was calculated by percent agreement and found to satisfactorily high (95%). Chips, condiments, snacks and bread were items most often coded incorrectly for fat content with a percent agreement between 82%-86%. Intraclass correlation was calculated for selected nutrients and found to be 0.97 or greater. In conclusion, M-SPAN's training procedure and standardized Lunch Contents Form appear to be reliable methods to assess middle school students' bag lunch contents.

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