Introduction
In recent years, the prevalence of obesity among adolescents has become a significant public health concern. Key behavioral determinants such as physical inactivity and unhealthy diets are influenced by the built environment. Recognizing this, researchers have been exploring tools to assess these environments effectively. One such tool is the SPOTLIGHT Virtual Audit Tool (S-VAT), originally designed for adults, but now adapted for adolescents. This blog delves into the adaptation process, its reliability, and its potential impact on improving adolescent health outcomes.
The Need for Adaptation
The original S-VAT was developed to evaluate environments relevant to adults, focusing on either food or activity environments. However, adolescents have different needs and influences. The adapted S-VAT aims to combine these assessments, focusing on features pertinent to youth, such as access to school facilities and recreational areas.
Methodology and Findings
The adaptation involved a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative survey of adolescents' perceptions. The study selected 60 streets across six neighborhoods, using Google Street View (GSV) for virtual audits. The results were promising, showing moderate to almost perfect intra-rater reliability (Cohen’s kappa 0.44–0.96) and substantial inter-rater reliability (0.24–0.80). Criterion validity was also moderate to almost perfect for most categories, except aesthetics and grocery stores.
Implications for Practitioners
For practitioners in the field of speech-language pathology and related disciplines, the adapted S-VAT offers a reliable and valid tool to assess environments affecting adolescent health behaviors. By understanding these environments, practitioners can tailor interventions to promote physical activity and healthy eating among adolescents.
Encouraging Further Research
While the adapted S-VAT shows promise, further research is needed to explore its application in diverse settings. Practitioners are encouraged to use this tool in combination with region-specific items to capture the full spectrum of environmental influences.
Conclusion
The adapted S-VAT is a valuable tool for assessing built environments relevant to adolescents. By providing reliable data, it supports practitioners in designing interventions that promote healthier lifestyles among youth. For those interested in the detailed methodology and findings, the original research paper offers comprehensive insights.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Adapting the SPOTLIGHT Virtual Audit Tool to assess food and activity environments relevant for adolescents: a validity and reliability study.
