Abstract

LEITAO, Mafalda; PIMENTA, Filipa; PEREZ-LOPEZ, Faustino  and  MAROCO, João. Psychometric properties of the three factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ-R21) in middle-aged women. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2024, vol.25, n.1, pp.25-34.  Epub Mar 31, 2024. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/24psd250103.

Eating behaviour can exert a substantial influence on the development of obesity, a condition intricately linked with a spectrum of comorbidities (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine disorders). Obesity is more prevalent among middle-aged women, particularly during menopause, coinciding with an increase in the incidence of disordered eating behaviours. This study aims to identify the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21) in middle-aged women. A total of 1895 middle-aged Portuguese women (M=52.22 years, SD=5.10) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire alongside the TFEQ-R21, comprising 21 items distributed across three dimensions (cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating). Descriptive analyses, construct and criterion validities, and reliability were performed using the R-Lavaan. The three-factor structure model presented a good fit (Comparative Fit Index=0.97; Tucker-Lewis Index=0.97; Root mean square error of approximation=0.08 (p<.001); Standardized root mean square residual=0.07). The TFEQ-R21 attests to its convergent validity (average variance extracted: 0.41<AVE<0.80) and reliability (Cronbach´s α: 0.82<α<0.96, and McDonald´s omega: 0.66<ω<0.92). The TFEQ-R21 tool has shown evidence of validity and reliability, displaying invariance between obese and normative women when assessing eating behaviour among middle-aged women. It offers valuable utility within the domain of weight management interventions, facilitating the identification and mitigation of dysfunctional eating behaviours, especially during this life stage.

Keywords : Eating behaviour; Instrument validation; Middle-aged women; Obesity; TFEQ-R21; Weight management.

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