Psychometric Proprieties and Validation of Self-report Measures of Eating Behaviors (Valid-OB)

Psychometric Proprieties and Validation of Self-report Measures of Eating Behaviors in Persons With Obesity and the General Population in Italy.

Obesity is a global epidemic and a major contributor to some of the leading causes of death.

Although research on overweight and obesity is constantly increasing, to date, in the Italian panorama, there is a lack of (A) rigorous psychological measurement tools of obesity-related constructs and (B) analysis of the relationships between constructs (and indicators) involved in the development and maintenance of overweight and obesity.

The present study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the main questionnaires for the assessment of eating behaviors in 3 groups of subjects (1) the general population (control group); (2) subjects with obesity without a comorbid diagnosis of an eating disorder; (3) subjects with obesity and a comorbid diagnosis of an eating disorder.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity; Eating Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Questionnaire administration

Detailed Description

Participants were selected in the main rehabilitation centers for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders (sample of subjects with obesity) and through an online survey (community sample). The survey lasted about 30 minutes and - together with selected demographic and biomedical information - required the completion of the following self-report measures: the Binge Eating Scale (BES); the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale version 2 (mYFAS 2.0); the Repetitive eating questionnaire (Rep-EAT); the Measure of Eating Compulsivity (MEC); the Addiction-like Eating Behavioural Scale (AEBS); the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire 18 (TFEQ-18); the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire-Short Form (EDEQ-SF); the Palatable Eating Motive Scale (PEMS); the Weight Sigma Questionnaire (WSSQ); the Emotional Eating Scale (EES); the Somatic Symptom Scale 8 (SSS8).

Before administration, all questionnaires were first translated from English (their original language) to Italian by two bilingual translators, independently - then back-translated into English by another independent translator whose mother tongue was English to ensure equivalence between the translations. Following, a purposive sample of respondents was asked to fill in the final version of each measure in order to assess its items' comprehensibility.

In order to avoid halo effects, the questionnaires were presented to the subject in random order.

The responders could withdraw the administration at any time, and contact a psychologist independent from the study in case of perceived emotional distress.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 300

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Milan, Italy, 20145
    • Istituto Auxologico Italiano

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Subjects with obesity with/without an eating disorder AND the general population (non clinical)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• BMI > 30 kg/m2 (clinical sample)
• Diagnosis of an eating disorder (clinical sample)
• age range 18-75 years
• Italian mother tongue
• written and informed consent to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

• visual impairing
• neurological problems
• alcohol/drug abuse

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

3

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Community sample; Questionnaires administration	Other: Questionnaire administration; Questionnaire administration
Subjects with obesity and comorbid eating disorder; Questionnaires administration	Other: Questionnaire administration; Questionnaire administration
Subjects with obesity without comorbid eating disorder; Questionnaires administration	Other: Questionnaire administration; Questionnaire administration

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Binge Eating	Score on the Binge Eating Scale. Each question has 3-4 separate responses assigned a numerical value. The score range is from 0-46: Non-binging; less than 17; Moderate binging; 18-26; Severe binging; 27 and greater	Baseline
Food Addiction	Scored on the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale version 2 and at the Addiction-like Eating Behavioural Scale The "symptom count" score, ranging from 0 to 7, that reflects the number of addiction-like criteria endorsed was applied	Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istituto Auxologico Italiano
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Giada Pietrabissa, PhD, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 15, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 15, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): December 15, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 15, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): April 7, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 7, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2023
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Overweight; Body Weight; Obesity; Feeding and Eating Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 03C020

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No