Intuitive eating: Validation of a brief Italian version of IES-2 for university students and its relationship with food intake

Abstract

Intuitive eating is an adaptive eating style referring to a set of eating behaviors characterized by reliance on internal hunger and satiety cues rather than situational and emotional cues. It has four dimensions: Unconditional Permission to Eat, Eating for Physical rather than Emotional Reasons, Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues, and Body-Food Choice Congruence. Two studies explored the psychometric characteristics of a new Italian version of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) among university students. Study 1 (n = 462; Mage = 22.36, SD = 2.10; 58.7 % females) evaluated the four-factor structure via CFA, resulting, with post-hoc modifications, in a 15-item version. Measurement invariance across gender, gender differences, and relationships with BMI were tested. Study 2 (n = 359; Mage = 20.35, SD = 1.77; 61.8 % females) verified the construct validity of the 15-item scale and explored criterion validity by examining the correlations with self-esteem, well-being, emotional, external, and restrained eating styles. Furthermore, the relationship between intuitive eating and food intake was explored. Overall results confirmed the four-factor structure, measurement invariance across gender, and criterion validity. The scale showed good psychometric properties in university students. Intuitive eating was associated with a healthier psychological status and lower risk of high-weight status, but it was not consistently associated with all markers of a healthy diet.