Development and validation of the Multidimensional Internally Regulated Eating Scale (MIRES).

Aikaterini Palascha,Hans C M Van Trijp,Emely De Vet,Ellen Van Kleef,Rodrigo Ferrer

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0239904

Aikaterini Palascha, Hans C M Van Trijp + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239904

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Oct 8, 2020
Citations: 8	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Wageningen University & Research

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the systematic development and validation of the Multidimensional Internally Regulated Eating Scale (MIRES), a new self-report instrument that quantifies the individual-difference characteristics that together shape the inclination towards eating in response to internal bodily sensations of hunger and satiation (i.e., internally regulated eating style). MIRES is a 21-item scale consisting of seven subscales, which have high internal consistency and adequate to high two-week temporal stability. The MIRES model, as tested in community samples from the UK and US, had a very good fit to the data both at the level of individual subscales, but also as a higher-order formative model. High and significant correlations with measures of intuitive eating and eating competence lent support to the convergent validity of MIRES, while its incremental validity in relation to these measures was also upheld. MIRES as a formative construct, as well as all individual subscales, correlated negatively with eating disorder symptomatology and weight-related measures (e.g., BMI, weight cycling) and positively with adaptive behavioral and psychological outcomes (e.g., proactive coping, body appreciation, life satisfaction), supporting the criterion validity of the scale. This endeavor has resulted in a reliable and valid instrument to be used for the thorough assessment of the features that synthesize the profile of those who tend to regulate their eating internally.

Highlights

Regulated eating (IRE), which can be broadly defined as eating in response to internal, bodily sensations of hunger and satiation, is considered an adaptive way of eating with positive effects on physical, psychological, behavioral, and dietary outcomes [1,2,3,4,5,6]
While several attempts have been made to conceptualize and quantify this eating style, none seems to capture the full complexity of this construct
Results supported the metric measurement invariance of the items asked across contexts and initial evidence on the construct validity of Multidimensional Internally Regulated Eating Scale (MIRES) was obtained, as non-dieters scored higher in all but one MIRES subscales compared to dieters

Summary

Introduction

Regulated eating (IRE), which can be broadly defined as eating in response to internal, bodily sensations of hunger and satiation, is considered an adaptive way of eating with positive effects on physical, psychological, behavioral, and dietary outcomes [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The Multidimensional Internally Regulated Eating Scale (MIRES) is proposed to quantify the five individual-difference characteristics that collectively form the IRE style. We present briefly the conceptual model of the key characteristics of the IRE style, followed by a description of the operationalization of constructs into subscales. The concept of IRE implies that individuals are sensitive to bodily signals of hunger and satiation, have self-efficacy in using those signals to determine when and how much to eat, trust these bodily signals to guide eating, and have a relaxed and enjoyable relationship with food and eating. The IRE style is formed by the totality of its seven defining constructs, while each of these constructs is a reflective one (uni-dimensional or decomposed to measurable sub-dimensions)

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