The Attitudes and Patterns of Eating (APE) Questionnaire: Development and factor analysis in a U.S. adolescent community sample

Abstract

This paper describes the creation and demonstrates the internal consistency of the Attitudes and Patterns of Eating (APE) Questionnaire, English version, which assesses adolescent food beliefs and eating habits and can be used for comparative studies on various cultures and lifestyles. The questionnaire is intended for use in a study comparing French and U.S. adolescents, the details of which will be presented in a future article. A research team composed of French and American researchers observed eating behaviors in community samples from each country and reviewed previous studies comparing Europe and North America regarding eating attitudes/practices. Common eating-related themes were identified and corresponding questionnaire items were constructed, then a group of U.S. high school students (N=1230) was administered the questionnaire. A principal components analysis (PCA) identified 5 components: "Eating Diet/Light Foods," "Unhealthy/Increased Eating," "Homemade Meals," "Skipping Meals" and "Healthy Eating". The testing and factor analysis of the APE (English) Questionnaire demonstrated its internal consistency. Further validity and reliability studies will be needed to complete the global validation process for both the French and English versions.