DEVELOPMENT OF A MEASURE OF THE MOTIVES UNDERLYING THE SELECTION OF FOOD - THE FOOD CHOICE QUESTIONNAIRE

A number of factors are thought to influence people's dietary choices, including health, cost, convenience and taste, but there are no measu res that address health-related and non-health-related factors in a sy stematic fashion. This paper describes the development of a multidimen sional measure of motives related to food choice. The Food Choice Ques tionnaire (FCQ) was developed through factor analysis of responses fro m a sample of 358 adults ranging in age from 18 to 87 years. Nine fact ors emerged, and were labelled health, mood, convenience, sensory appe al, natural content, price, weight control, familiarity and ethical co ncern. The questionnaire structure was verified using confirmatory fac tor analysis in a second sample (n = 358), and test-retest reliability over a 2- to 3-week period was satisfactory. Convergent validity was investigated by testing associations between FCQ scales and measures o f dietary restraint, eating style, the value of health, health locus o f control and personality factors. Differences in motives for food cho ice associated with sex, age and income were found. The potential uses of this measure in health psychology and other areas are discussed. ( C) 1995 Academic Press Limited