(P19-23-26) Development of a Novel Short Nutrition Literacy Scale for Adults in the United States (SNLS-USA)

Objectives: Nutrition literacy (NL) is associated with healthier dietary patterns, yet few instruments comprehensively assess its functional, interactive, and critical domains, particularly in the United States (US). This study aimed to develop a brief NL instrument for adults in the US.

Methods: The Short Nutrition Literacy Scale for US Adults (SNLS-USA) was developed using a formative approach. A systematic review of existing NL assessment tools was conducted using Covidence software to identify relevant items and gaps. Items were adapted or developed to align with an internally developed NL framework appropriate for US adults. An expert panel of dietitians (n=3), public health professionals (n=1), and nutrition and health literacy specialists (n=3) rated items on a 3-point Likert scale (higher scores indicating greater importance) to prioritize inclusion. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to examine underlying factor structure and guide item reduction, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Results: The systematic review identified 30 current instruments, with 7 assessing NL in the US. Based on expert review of the items, a 4th–6th grade reading level was recommended, while more advanced questions were retained to distinguish individuals with higher NL. This process resulted in a prioritized list of 35 questions, of which 29 scored ≥0.70 and were retained across three domains, two objective levels, and ten subjective levels of NL. EFA reduced the instrument by 16 items, resulting in a 19-item scale with a three-factor structure and acceptable model fit (χ² = 246.24, df = 117, p < .001; CFI = 0.906; RMSEA = 0.087), with factor loadings ranging from 0.503 to 0.936. CFA supported the proposed scale model, demonstrating good overall fit (CFI = 0.979, TLI = 0.976, SRMSR = 0.053, RMSEA = 0.067, 90% CI [0.054–0.079]).

Conclusions: This study was funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Grant No. 2023-68015-39408

Funding Sources: This study was funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Grant No. 2023-68015-39408