Mal J Nutr 27(2): 335-347, 2021
          Validity and reliability of plant-based culinary nutrition 
          model questionnaire for fitness among sports science 
          students
                               1                                 2                                1*  
          Bina Baboo Morji , Ahmad Zabidi Abdul Razak  & Sareena Hanim Hamzah
          1
           Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, 
                      2
          Malaysia;  Department of Educational Management, Planning and Policy, Faculty of 
          Education, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
                                                   ABSTRACT
               Introduction: There is an emerging focus on plant-based foods that have the 
               added advantage of being nutritious without side effects. Besides, its preparation 
               with nutritional awareness and culinary skills could be an effective solution for 
               improving personal fitness. This study aimed to determine validity and reliability of 
               a questionnaire for the development of a plant-based culinary nutrition model for 
               fitness among sports science students. Methods: This study employed exploratory 
               sequential mixed method design and was carried out in two phases. Phase 1 
               employed a qualitative design utilising modified Delphi method to determine content 
               validity index (CVI) of the questionnaire, while phase 2 was a quantitative design 
               using Cronbach’s alpha statistical analysis to evaluate reliability of the instrument. 
               The questionnaire consisted of the need for plant-based culinary nutrition model 
               (Section A) and the model’s components (Section B). Thirteen expert panels from 
               diverse expertise in sports nutrition and 30 sports science students took part.  
               Results: Phase 1 resulted in development of a questionnaire where Section A and 
               Section B scored CVI of 0.834 and 1.000, respectively. For phase 2, Cronbach’s 
               alpha score for reliability of the questionnaire was 0.836 with a total of 15 items. 
               The Cronbach’s alpha score for questionnaire items from Sections A and B were 
               0.709 and 0.832, respectively. Conclusion: The questionnaire developed in this 
               study is validated and is considered reliable for use as a significant tool for plant-
               based culinary nutrition among sports science students.
               Keywords:  plant-based  nutrition,  culinary,  health  and  fitness,  sports  science 
               students
          INTRODUCTION                                     n-3 fats, calcium, and iodine. Hence, 
          Previous  literature  findings  revealed         meal planning and management 
          that plant-based whole foods have  of food choices become crucial for 
          the  added  benefits  of  being  entirely        the achievement of recommended 
          healthy without side effects (Evans,  energy and nutrient intakes. In 
          2015).  Generally, plant-based diets             addition, a well-planned plant-based 
          are rich in carbohydrates, fibre,  diet can provide adequate amounts of all 
          micronutrients, phytochemicals, and              known nutrients for fitness and sports 
          antioxidants. However, they contain              performance (Burke & Hawley, 2018; 
          lower calories, protein, vitamin B12,            Hever, 2016).  Data indicated that all 
          __________________________
          *Corresponding author: Dr Sareena Hanim Binti Hamzah
          Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  
          Tel:  +603-79673321; Fax: +603-79569590; Email: sareena@um.edu.my
          doi: https://doi.org/10.31246/mjn-2020-0114
            336                   Bina BM, Ahmad Zabidi AR & Sareena Hanim H
            essential and non-essential amino acids      that, there is a need for a plant-based 
            can be supplied by plant food sources        culinary  nutrition  model  for  fitness 
            alone as long as a variety of foods is       due to the awareness, practicality and 
            consumed and the energy intake to  safety of consuming plant-based diets 
            maintain  fitness  is  adequate  (Hever,     for sustainability, health, and ethical 
            2016; Venderley & Campbell, 2006).           reasons. Many athletes and experts in 
                A plant-based diet facilitates high  the health and fitness industry or sports 
            intake of carbohydrate and protein,  are receptive towards plant-based diet for 
            while at the same time maintains  fitness and performance, and have thus 
            prolonged exercise, recovery, and adopted plant-based lifestyle (Burke & 
            repeated performance (PCRM, 2014;  Hawley, 2018). In the local scenario, a 
            McAnulty, Holden & Keith, 2001).  plant-based culinary nutrition model for 
            Some of the popular plant-based diets        fitness is perhaps anticipated to guide 
            being practised world-wide are lacto-        sports science students with a healthier 
            vegetarian, ovo-lacto vegetarian, vegan,     diet  preference  for  optimum  fitness. 
            and raw vegan. Vegan diet which  Therefore, the validity and reliability of a 
            emphasises a complete removal of  suitable questionnaire play an important 
            animal-based products from diet is also      role in developing a useful plant-based 
            gaining popularity among the public and      culinary nutrition model. 
            younger generations (Wirnitzer, 2018).           The aim of testing for validity is to 
                While healthy eating behaviour  determine if the instrument measures 
            is being touted, similar emphasis is  what it was intended to measure, and 
            still lacking when it comes to instilling    whether it is usable (Oluwatayo, 2012). 
            culinary skills from young. Fundamental      Validity is also viewed as an indication of 
            culinary skills are choosing, preparing,     the extent to which a research conclusion 
            and consuming foods prepared from  reflects  reality  (White  &  McBurney, 
            ‘scratch’ (Caraher, 2015). Culinary skills   2012); whereas reliability is referred as 
            are not only for professional chefs, but     dependability and replicability, striving 
            they are also practical techniques that      for accuracy and comprehensiveness of 
            everyone should master to maintain  a survey instrument. One of the ways 
            health  and  fitness.  The  merging  of      to test reliability is through Cronbach’s 
            nutrition and food science with culinary     alpha. It measures internal consistency 
            skills has resulted in healthy eating  reliability based on the average inter-
            behaviours due to increased confidence       item correlation of an instrument 
            and nutrition awareness (Condrasky &         (Koonce & Kelly, 2014). 
            Hegler, 2010).                                   While validity is about the capacity 
                Plant-based culinary nutrition of an instrument to quantify the 
            model is a model that includes both  properties of the construct (Barton, 
            the fundamentals of nutrition and the        Wrieden & Anderson, 2011), reliability 
            basics of culinary skills to manage  is the consistency of a measure. Hence, 
            fitness.  It  was  pursued  to  compliment   the questionnaire needs to be validated 
            various efforts and strategies taken  and tested for reliability in order to be 
            by the Ministry of Health in managing        a reliable data collection tool for the 
            fitness  of  the  nation  in  general  and   development of plant-based culinary 
            sports  science  students  specifically.     nutrition-related studies. Thus, the 
            Under these circumstances, a plant-          aim of this study was to determine  
            based culinary nutrition model may be        the validity and reliability of the survey 
            useful as a guidance for sport science       instrument developed for data collection. 
            students  in  managing  their  fitness       These valuable data will measure  
            better through plant-based nutritional       the need and significance of developing  
            knowledge and culinary skills. Besides       a plant-based culinary nutrition 
                        Validity and reliability of plant-based culinary nutrition questionnaire          337
           model for fitness among sports science             were a panel of experts chosen based 
           students.                                          on purposive sampling. The panel of 
                                                              13  experts  identified  and  interviewed 
           MATERIALS AND METHODS                              were subject matter experts in the 
           Study design                                       area of sports nutrition and dietetics, 
           This study employed a mixed method  coaching, athletics, academicians, 
           exploratory sequential design which  sports scientists, and a locally and 
           consisted of two phases. Phase 1 was               internationally renowned Emeritus 
           qualitative data collection that utilised          Professor in Nutritional Sciences. Of 
           the modified Delphi technique, whereas             these, three experts were practising 
           phase 2 was quantitative data collection.          a plant-based diet in their daily life. 
           In phase 1, the reporting of interview             There are no strict rules on the number 
           with expert panel members used the  of experts required for this study 
           Consolidated Criteria for Reporting  (Thangaratinam & Redman, 2005). 
           Qualitative Research (COREQ) as a                      The recruitment was conducted 
           guideline (Tong, Sainsbury & Craig,  through personal contacts of supervisors 
           2018). It is a formal reporting checklist          and web search. Official email invitation 
           for in-depth interviews and focus groups.          was sent to the experts as well. This 
           The reporting of expert panel’s interview          email also served as a consent to be 
           in the current research was based on               interviewed at expert’s time and venue 
           three main domains in COREQ. These                 of convenience without any obligation 
           included researcher or research team  or  monetary  gain.  Confidentiality  was 
           and  reflexivity,  study  design,  and             maintained throughout recruitment, 
           analysis     and  findings.  Meanwhile,            interview process, and data analysis.  
           content validity ratio (CVR) was used for          The replies from experts were via emails 
           quantitative assessment of the content             and text messaging. Table 1 shows 
           validity (Ayre & Scally, 2014). This was           the demographic information of expert 
           done by simplifying the information into           panels. 
           CVR Worksheet that calculated the CVR                  Phase 2 involved the recruitment 
           for an item and content validity index             of sports science students from a local 
           (CVI) value for the overall instrument             public university and data collection on 
           (Lawshe, 1975).                                    reliability. These students were between 
               In phase 2, there were four research           19-25 years old pursuing various degree 
           questions to answer: (1) how far experts           programmes in Sports Science. They 
           perceive the importance of having a  were selected as the subjects for phase 
           plant-based culinary nutrition model for           2 of the study in order to equip sports 
           fitness; (2) what are the components of            science students with an alternative 
           plant-based culinary nutrition model for           diet option with relevant culinary skills 
           fitness; (3) what is the consensus level           applicable for managing fitness. Samples 
           of experts on components in plant-based            were  calculated  based  on  a  flat  rule 
           culinary nutrition model; and (4) what             of thumb in which a single number is 
           is the process of plant-based culinary             recommended for any situation. For the 
           nutrition model development. These  current research, a flat rule of thumb 
           were answered through responses from               by Browne (1995), which is a sample 
           the expert panel, whereas the survey  size of 30 was adopted (PASS Sample 
           items were built from consensus by the             Size Software, 2019). This research 
           experts.                                           was conducted with the approval of the 
                                                              University of Malaya Research Ethics 
           Participants                                       Committee (UM.TNC2/UMREC-431). 
           For phase 1 of the study, participants             The participants provided their written 
                                                              informed consent.
             338                    Bina BM, Ahmad Zabidi AR & Sareena Hanim H
             Development of instrument by using               using modified Delphi for three rounds. 
             Delphi technique                                 The interview with expert panel was 
             The research instrument, a recorded, transcribed verbatim, and 
             questionnaire, was developed based  coded manually based on Saldana’s 
             on     the   modified     Delphi     method      coding methods (Onwuegbuzie, Frels & 
                                                                                 A consistent approach 
             (Thangaratinam & Redman, 2005). It  Hwang, 2016).
             was appropriate because it involved face-        to coding is important to ensure the 
             to-face and individual interview with  credibility of data analysed. There 
             each expert. It also used open-ended  were four steps in the qualitative data 
             questions that allowed flow of opinions,         analysis.  The  first  step  was  basically 
             ideas, suggestions, and experience  transcribing each interview, whereas 
             sharing. External experts were engaged           the second step involved the transfer of 
             during validation process. Data were  the completed transcription data onto 
             collected thru in-depth interviews by  Microsoft Excel sheet and analysed 
             using open-ended questions: (1) what  to view the similarities or differences 
             do you know about plant-based diet;  between expert views. The third step 
             (2) what is your opinion on the research         was initial coding in which the code was 
             that shows plant-based culinary either a word or phrase that represented 
             nutrition is able to manage fitness; (3)         aspects of a research question. They 
             should plant-based culinary nutrition be         were examined to identify patterns 
             introduced as a course or programme in           and frequency. The last step was the 
             the current sports nutrition curriculum          assigning of labels to research questions 
             at higher learning institutions; (4) what        in the form of anchor codes. Under each 
             components of plant-based culinary  anchor code, there was a compilation of 
             nutrition should be included into the  initial codes used to generate categories. 
             plant-based culinary nutrition model for             Categories would have larger 
             fitness.                                         viewpoints which were then condensed 
                                                              further into Themes 2 and further 
             Development of questionnaire                     narrowed into Themes 3. Themes were 
             The qualitative data were analysed by            used to guide the development of the 
             Table 1. Demographic information for expert panels based on COREQ checklist
              Experts      Expertise
              1            Dietitian and assistant director (sports performance) at National Sports 
                           Institute, Malaysia
              2            Sports nutrition lecturer
              3            Director, Division of research and innovation, Sports Institute
              4            Head of Food service department, Sports Council
              5            Executive chef, Sports Council
              6            Sports medicine specialist
              7            Sports coach and tower runner
              8            Endurance sports coach
              9            Endurance sports coach
              10           Head of postgraduate studies, Faculty of Sports Science & Recreation
              11           Plant-based sports scientist
              12           Emeritus Professor in nutrition
              13           Director of plant-based nutrition education