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Rural Health Information Hub

Evaluation Tools for Rural Obesity Programs

The following data collection tools, standards, guides, and registries may provide additional guidance your rural obesity program evaluation.

  • Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Questionnaires
    This survey instrument is comprised of a standard set of questions asked by all states that includes questions demographic characteristics and current health behaviors, such as tobacco use and seatbelt use. While it does not specifically target obesity, some of the questions do relate to obesity and the survey could be adapted to best fit communities' needs. Surveys are also available in Spanish.
  • National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR) Measures Registry
    Searchable database of diet and physical activity measures relevant to childhood obesity research. Measures are searchable by environment or behavior, measurement instrument, age, and community type/location. NCCOR also provides a listing of new or adapted measures that have not yet been published.
  • The Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA)
    Questionnaire designed to help clinicians assess older adults' levels of physical activity. Available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
  • The Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants (REAP-S)
    Assesses a patient's diet and physical activity, and facilitates counseling by a primary care provider. Developed by Brown University.
  • Rural Active Living Assessment Tools (RALA)
    Rural-specific assessment tools to aid researchers and practitioners in evaluating the activity-friendliness of rural communities. The three RALA tools include:
    • Town-wide Assessment (TWA), focusing on a town's characteristics (e.g. school locations, geography, and other physical activity features and amenities
    • Program and Policy Assessment (PPA), focusing on community and school programs and policies
    • Street Segment Assessment (SSA), focusing on the walkability of rural areas
  • System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT)
    Assesses quality of physical education instruction. Comprehensive system provides a measure of student activity levels, lesson context and teacher behavior during class time.
  • System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY)
    Used for direct observation of physical activity and environmental characteristics in free play settings such as school recess.
  • Weight, Activity, Variety, Excess (WAVE)
    Assesses a patient's current diet and physical activity status related to weight, activity, variety, and excess and encourages dialogue with providers.