Shreela Sharma, PhD, RD, LD assistant professor of epidemiology, School of Public Health
	Reliability and Validity of Self-Reported Measures of Dietary Intake and Physical Activity Among Secondary School Students in Delhi, India
SHREELA SHARMA The National Nutrition Foundation of India recently found that among 5,000 children (ages 4 to 18 attending a Delhi private school) 29% were overweight.   In 2006, the Obesity Prevention Center at The University of Minnesota and HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth) began a study of secondary school students in India, to estimate the prevalence of obesity among school-going youth, and identify behavioral and psychosocial factors related to an increased BMI.  Two members of this research team invited Shreela Sharma, PhD, RD, LD, assistant professor of epidemiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, to incorporate her prior knowledge of the subject and work. In the winter of 2007, Sharma began her project, “Reliability and validity of self-reported measures of dietary intake and physical activity among secondary school students in Delhi, India.” She continues to research the following factors to explain the rise of childhood obesity in India: westernization, increased energy intake, increased sedentary behavior, and decreased physical activity. Questionnaires will be administered to 150 students between the ages of 13 and 14 (8th graders) from Delhi, India.  The goal is to provide proof for the need of the CATCH program (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) and to strengthen partnership between UTSPH and HRIDAY, which will open a gateway for future collaborative efforts.       To reach the objectives of the study, Sharma must complete the following steps.  First, the school-based nutrition and physical activity monitoring questionnaire (SPAN) must be adapted to reflect the Indian dietary intake.  Second, the SPAN will be translated into Hindi and then assessed for content validity.  Finally, using pilot testing, the two questionnaires will be assessed for clarity and interpretation.  The funds received from the Office of International Programs Award will be used for airfare, room and board, questionnaire copies, logistical support for study implementation, and HRIDAY personnel time (administering survey and focus groups).  Sharma hopes that this project is just one of many that will allow her to continue working towards the prevention of childhood obesity in India.