Abstract
The Mindful Eating Questionnaire is a reliable tool for the assessment of mindful eating behavior among the general population. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of The Malay Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ-M) in a sample of overweight and obese adults. This is a cross-sectional survey which involved 144 overweight and obese adults in a selected public university. After linguistic validation of the Malay version of the MEQ, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with varimax rotation was performed on the scale constructs. The psychometric properties of the MEQ were assessed through Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis. The EFA of the MEQ produced a seven-dimensional model (58.8% of overall variances). The concurrent validity analysis between total MEQ scores and total Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) scores indicated a weak non-significant correlation (p = 0.679). The internal consistency reliability of the MEQ was reasonable (Cronbach’s α = 0.64). The agreement stability of the MEQ over eight weeks was poor (ICC = 0.10). In conclusion, the psychometric properties of the Malay-translated MEQ are acceptable through construct validity and internal consistency reliability tests. This instrument may be used for assessing mindful eating habits in the Malaysian population, especially among overweight and obese adults.
Highlights
Mindfulness is commonly understood as the ability of being open, accepting, and present in the moment [1]
Our study found that there was no significant correlation between BMI and the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ)-M’s subscales, except for the inverse relationship with the Environmental disinhibition subscale
MEQ are acceptable through construct and internal consistency reliability
Summary
Mindfulness is commonly understood as the ability of being open, accepting, and present in the moment [1]. The role of mindfulness in encouraging behaviors related to healthy body weight maintenance and reducing overweight and obesity has gained attention among scholars [2]. This practice has been beneficial to control food cravings, portion size, body mass index, and body weight [3]. Mindful eating refers to being conscious of physical sensation and emotion while eating or in a food-related environment [1]. It helps in improving one’s sensitivity to the physical cues of hunger, satiety, eating speed, and
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