Reproducibility of the German and Slovakian Versions of the Dietary Habits and Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire (KomPAN).

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility and reliability of the KomPAN questionnaire among two groups of university students from Germany and Slovakia. METHODS: A total of 422 individuals (mean age 21.4 years, SD 4.0), including 197 from Slovakia (men 26.2%) and 225 from Germany (men 22.3%), were tested using the self-administered (SA-Q) version of the KomPAN questionnaire and then retested two weeks later. A cross-classification analysis, kappa coefficients, Cronbach's ɑ coefficients, and a test-retest result comparison were conducted separately for each group of students to assess the reproducibility and reliability of the questionnaire. RESULTS: The cross-classification values were higher than 46.2% among the German students and higher than 55.8% among the Slovakian students. The kappa coefficients ranged from 0.21 to 0.90 in the German students and from 0.38 to 0.94 in the Slovakian students. Cronbach's ɑ ranged from 0.58 to 0.78. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire displayed a moderate to very good reproducibility, which was slightly higher in the Slovakian group than in the German group. Therefore, the questionnaire can be recommended for further analysis and comparison of the dietary habits among Germans and Slovakians on a larger scale.

Diet Quality Compared to the Nutritional Knowledge of Polish, German, and Slovakian University Students-Preliminary Research.

The eating habits of students differ significantly from those recommended by health practitioners. The aim of this study was to find differences related to diet quality and knowledge on nutrition among Polish, German, and Slovakian students as well as to examine which factors differentiate the diet quality of students from these three countries. The study was conducted on a group of 394 university students from Poland, Germany, and Slovakia. The assessment of diet quality and knowledge on food and nutrition was done with the use of the Dietary Habits and Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire. The diet of German students was characterized by a significantly higher consumption of legume-based foods, vegetables, and fruit compared to Polish students and Slovakian participants (p < 0.001). The diet of the Poles was characterized by a high consumption of cured meat, smoked sausages, hot dogs, white bread and bakery products, butter, fried foods, and energy drinks. The most important factors significantly associated with diet quality involved the country, place of residence, Body Mass Index (BMI), physical activity, and time spent watching TV or using a computer. Polish students were characterized by the highest level of knowledge on food and nutrition (p < 0.001). However, it was not reflected in their diet. The authorities of universities should aim to provide students with access to canteens on campuses which would offer the possibility of consumption of both affordable and healthy meals.