Table 5 Methods and Tools for Assessing Breastfeeding, Healthy Eating, and PA Policy Factors in Rural Communities

Data from Baby-Friendly USA [61, 64]

Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey [63]

Employee Perceptions of Breastfeeding Support Questionnaire [70]

Hospital Breastfeeding Policies: Self-Appraisal Pre-Assessment [62]

Interviews [29, 71]

Phone questionnaire [60]

Administrative data for School Breakfast Programs and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) [90]

Bridging the Gap food code/policy coding forms to identify healthy food outlets [99]

Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention (COCOMO) Assessment [98, 131]

Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living Survey [113, 134]

Community Healthy Living Index’s Early Childhood Program Assessment Tool [124]

Comprehensive Participatory Planning and Evaluation Model (CPPE) informed workshops [110]

Demand-stimulating policies assessed as SNAP coverage (SnapCov), measured as the proportion of the population below poverty receiving SNAP benefits. Number of SNAP recipients and poverty rate (PovRate) used to construct SnapCov come from the U.S. Bureau of Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) [116]

Free and reduced-price school lunch program participation from 2013–2014 by county was obtained from the Annie. E Casey foundation [79]

Household survey to assess access to food and the food system [109]

Intercept surveys [91]

Interviews and/or Focus Groups [80, 87, 88, 98, 104, 105, 109, 112, 119, 129, 130, 132, 135]

Michigan Food Service Director Farm-to-School Survey [83]

National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living (CBS HEAL) [133]

Nutrition and Physical Activity Environment Assessment Tool [82]

Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) [122, 123]

Observational protocol to observe the National School Lunch Program provided in schools [92]

Photovoice [94]

School records of participation in School Breakfast Program [84]

The Adams County Food Policy Council Questions [118]

Process evaluation measure to assess School Breakfast Participation [86]

School Environment and Policy Survey [104,105,106, 135]

School Health Index (SHI) [89]

Tool for Health and Resilience in Vulnerable Environments (THRIVE) [128]

Web-based survey to locate Sodium Reduction Strategiesin hospitals [127]

Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) [96]

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance (BRFSS) Survey [149, 153, 170]

Community Healthy Living Index (CHLI) Early Childhood Program Assessment Tool [124]

Community Audits and Surveys to assess farmers 'market shopping frequency, shopping at various markets, awareness of markets, access to markets, and barriers to and facilitators of use of farmers' markets [131]

Community Health Assessment and Group Evaluation (CHANGE) Tool [161]

Comprehensive Participatory Planning and Evaluation (CPPE) informed workshops [110]

Irvine-Minnesota audit tool (modified for rural context) [155]

Interviews and/or focus groups [80, 87, 88, 104, 105, 115, 129, 130, 135, 147, 150, 151, 155, 162, 171]

National Health Interview Survey [149]

National Survey of Community Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living [113, 117, 152, 159, 169]

Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) [122, 123]

Photovoice [94]

Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) [138, 139, 142, 144, 145, 210]

School Environment and Policy Survey [104,105,106, 135]

Policies collected from all Utah school district [93]

Survey that asked about plans municipalities implemented and projects, program policies to improve walking and bicycling [158]

Collected updated pedestrian plans through conducted web searches, the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation plan library, jurisdictions when necessary for follow-up, and through a listserv of North Carolina planners [141]