Introduction. Most dietary questionnaires are not created for use in a clinical setting for an adult health exam. We created the Healthy Eating Vital Sign (HEVS) to assess eating behaviors associated with excess weight. This study investigated the validity and reliability of the HEVS. Methods. Using a cross-sectional study design, participants responded to the HEVS and the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire (BFFQ). We analyzed the data descriptively, and, with Pearson’s correlation and Cronbach coefficient alpha. Results. We found moderate correlation ( r h o > 0 . 3 ) between multiple items of the HEVS and BFFQ. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.49. Conclusion. Our results support the criterion validity and internal reliability of the HEVS as compared to the BFFQ. The HEVS can help launch a dialogue between patients and providers to monitor and potentially manage dietary behaviors associated with many chronic health conditions, including obesity. 1. Introduction The United States (US) did not meet the Healthy People 2010 objective to decrease the prevalence of adult obesity to 15% [1]. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 27% of US adults are obese [2]. Flegal et al. report more dismal statistics; 68% of adults are overweight ( B M I ≥ 2 5 ) and 34% are obese ( B M I ≥ 3 0 ) [3]. Multiple factors influence energy balance, or energy intake versus energy expenditure. However, primary care providers have the opportunity to engage with people and potentially affect behaviors that can tilt the energy balance [4]. A provider’s attention to weight has great influence on patients [5, 6]. Therefore, effectively and efficiently managing and preventing overweight and obesity in the primary care setting is warranted [7]. Traditionally, food frequency questionnaires are used to assess habitual dietary behavior. The Block Food Frequency Questionnaire (BFFQ) is a valid and reliable instrument used as a standard tool for nutrition assessment [8, 9]. The BFFQ contains more than 100 questions, takes approximately 45 minutes to complete, and focuses on nutrient intake rather than eating behaviors. Because of its length and the complexities involved in dietary analysis, the BFFQ is too cumbersome for routine clinical screening of patients’ nutritional habits. Recognizing this problem, Glasgow et al. recommended Starting the Conversation-(STC) Diet and the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) as practical measures for clinical use [10]. The STC-Diet is a 7-item instrument to assess dietary behaviors, created for the New Leaf
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