Intuitive Eating Scale-2: an adaption for Italian university students

Background: Intuitive eating is an adaptive eating style, which refers to a set of behaviors characterised by a reliance on physiological hunger and satiety cues. This research aims to explore the psychometric characteristics of an Italian version of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) among university students. This scale includes four dimensions: Eating for Physical Rather than Emotional Reasons (EPR), Unconditional Permission to Eat (UPE), Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues (RHSC), and Body-Food Choice Congruence (B-FCC). Methods: In Study 1 (n = 462) we reduced the total number of items to 15 and evaluated the construct validity of the subsequent brief scale through Confirmatory Factor Analyses. Moreover, we tested the invariance of the factorial structure across gender and we examined the relationships with gender and BMI. In Study 2 (n = 359) the construct validity of the 15-item scale was confirmed, and criterion validity was explored by examining the correlations with self-esteem, well-being, and other eating styles (emotional, external, and restrained eating). Also, we considered the relations with social desirability. Findings: Overall, results confirmed the four-factor structure, the measurement invariance across gender, and the criterion validity of the scale. EPR and RHSC dimensions were associated with lower BMI; men reported higher scores on EPR dimension. The scale also showed no correlation with social desirability. Discussion: Overall, our 15-item version of the IES-2 showed good psychometric properties in Italian university students and can be a valuable tool for both measuring and promoting a more adaptive eating style among this population.