Key result
Self-assessment tools for CV risk behaviors show weak to moderate validity in free-living conditions.
Why the study?
Do self-assessment tools for cardiovascular risk behaviors demonstrate sufficient validity compared to reference standards?
Systematic Review
Do self-assessment tools for cardiovascular risk behaviors demonstrate sufficient validity compared to reference standards?
Current self-assessment tools for cardiovascular risk behaviors, primarily focused on physical activity and nutrition, demonstrate weak to moderate validity, highlighting a critical need for more accurate tools for CVD prevention.
Self-assessment tools warrant caution in clinical CVD risk assessment; systematic review confirms weak validity and supports development of objective measures.
Background: A healthy lifestyle is crucial in mitigating cardiovascular disease risk. Numerous tools for cardiovascular risk behaviors have been developed that people can use for self-assessment purposes. However, the validity of these tools is insufficiently understood in the context of self-assessment. This systematic review examines the validity of self-assessment tools for cardiovascular risk behaviors, including lack of physical activity (PA), tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, and chronic psychological stress. Methods: The PubMed, Ovid Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched. Studies investigating the validity of tools in the context of self-assessment (i.e., without active involvement of a healthcare professional) were included. We investigated criterion validity (i.e., comparison to a gold standard), convergent validity (comparison to similar measures), face and content validity, and reliability. Results: 1)). No validation studies were found for self-assessment of tobacco smoking or alcohol consumption. All wearable PA intensity assessment-energy expenditure studies demonstrated weak validity, both in laboratory and free-living conditions. Criterion validity was examined for only two nutritional intake tools, showing weak to moderate validity. For psychological stress and tools measuring multiple domains, only convergent validity was examined. Discussion: Behavioral self-assessment tools are predominantly focused on PA and nutritional intake, with limited evidence for good validity. There is a pressing need for developing and validating comprehensive and accurate self-assessment tools.
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Goevaerts et al. (2025) conducted a systematic review in Cardiovascular risk behaviors. Self-assessment tools vs. Reference methods (gold standard or other validated tools) was evaluated on Validity (criterion, convergent, face, content) and reliability. Self-assessment tools for cardiovascular risk behaviors demonstrated weak to moderate validity, particularly in free-living conditions, with no validation studies found for tobacco smoking or alcohol consumption.
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