Adapting the SPOTLIGHT Virtual Audit Tool to assess food and activity environments relevant for adolescents: a validity and reliability study

Abstract

Background Physical inactivity and unhealthy diet are key behavioral determinants underlying obesity. The neighborhood environment represents an important arena for modifying these behaviors, and hence reliable and valid tools to measure it are needed. Most existing virtual audit tools have been designed to assess either food or activity environments deemed relevant for adults. Thus, there is a need for a tool that combines the assessment of food and activity environments, and which focuses on aspects of the environment relevant for youth. Objective The aims of the present study were: (a) to adapt the SPOTLIGHT Virtual Audit Tool (S-VAT) developed to assess characteristics of the built environment deemed relevant for adults for use in an adolescent population, (b) to assess the tool’s inter- and intra-rater reliability, and (c) to assess its criterion validity by comparing the virtual audit to a field audit. Methods The tool adaptation was based on literature review and on results of a qualitative survey investigating how adolescents perceived the influence of the environment on dietary and physical activity behaviors. Sixty streets (148 street segments) in six neighborhoods were randomly selected as the study sample. Two raters assessed the inter- and intra-rater reliability and criterion validity, comparing the virtual audit tool to a field audit. The results were presented as percentage agreement and Cohen’s kappa (κ). Results Intra-rater agreement was found to be moderate to almost perfect (κ = 0.44–0.96) in all categories, except in the category aesthetics (κ = 0.40). Inter-rater agreement between auditors ranged from fair to substantial for all categories (κ = 0.24–0.80). Criterion validity was found to be moderate to almost perfect (κ = 0.56–0.82) for most categories, except aesthetics and grocery stores (κ = 0.26–0.35). Conclusion The adapted version of the S-VAT can be used to provide reliable and valid data on built environment characteristics deemed relevant for physical activity and dietary behavior among adolescents.

Virtual Assessment of Physical Activity-Related Built Environment in Soweto, South Africa: What is the Role of Contextual Familiarity?

“…To enhance representativity, future studies using global audit tools should consider the differences within and between neighborhoods, regions, and countries. It is important to note that developmental patterns, urbanization levels, land uses, and socioeconomic statuses of residents have different de nitions, interpretations, and representations across the world.Similar to other virtual audits of the built environment, the subjective features of the built environment such as the streets or building aesthetics had the lowest IRR across all the MAPS-Global measurements(Andersen et al, 2021;Fox et al, 2021;Gullón et al, 2015;Zhu et al, 2017). Our ndings indicated interrater reliability was highest in the land use section of the routes, similar to results fromZhu et al, (2017).…”

“…The use of virtual assessment tools has been advocated to reduce the time and resources required for conducting in-person audits (Fox et al, 2021;Mooney et al, 2017;Phillips et al, 2017). In high income countries, these tools have been found to be reliable assessments of the built environment (Andersen et al, 2021;Fox et al, 2021;Phillips et al, 2017;Zhu et al, 2017). Few researchers have explored the concept of contextual familiarity (living or working in the study area vs outside the study area) when assessing the reliability of the tools (Fox et al, 2021;Vanwolleghem et al, 2016;Zhu et al, 2017).…”

Neighborhood deprivation, built environment, and overweight in adolescents in the city of Oslo

“…The locations of all food outlets were verified using Google Street View (GSV), and validated in our study [ 45 ]. In addition, food outlets not visible from GSV were verified using a national registry of businesses (The Brønnøysund Register Centre).…”

Neighborhood deprivation, built environment, and childhood obesity in the city of Oslo

“…The locations of all food outlets were veri ed using Google Street View (GSV), and validated in our study (45). In addition, food outlets not visible from GSV were veri ed using a national registry of businesses (The Brønnøysund Register Centre).…”