Reliability and Validity of the Perceived Neighborhood Food Environment Scale

Abstract

In order for people to make healthy food choices, the food environment needs to be improved and residents must be aware of it. This research aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Perceived Neighborhood Food Environment (PNFE) scale, which assesses participants’ perceptions of the present condition of their food environment. Data from the Survey on the Present Condition and Consciousness of Dietary Education conducted by the Cabinet Office of Japan in 2010 were used, and 1,853 participants were included. We performed an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and examined internal consistency and the criterion-related validity of the PNFE. The PNFE comprised two factors: “regional food culture” (5 items) and “physical availability of food” (3 items). The model fitness indices were good (GFI = .97, AGFI = .95, CFI = .96, RMSEA = .073) and Cronbach’s α was .77 for the whole scale. Reasonable results were obtained for criterion-related validity. We confirmed the reliability and validity of the PNFE scale. By utilizing the scale for future research in other countries, its reliability and validity for a wider range of residents will likely be confirmed. In addition, consideration should be given to the items used for confirming the validity of the scale in the next study to ensure that they are appropriate for other countries included in the research.