Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the mindful eating behavior scale in community-dwelling older adults

Mindful eating is a fundamental approach for promoting healthy dietary behaviors and well-being in older age. However, there is currently no validated scale available to assess mindful eating specifically among older adults in the Turkish population. Therefore, a reliable instrument is needed to address this gap and enable accurate assessment of eating awareness in this demographic.

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Mindful Eating Behavior Scale (MEBS-TR) in adults aged 65 years and older.

This methodological study included 424 individuals aged 65 and over (61.3% female) with a mean age of 70.87±6.15 years. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the MEBS, and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). The construct validity of the scale was assessed using Minimum Rank Factor Analysis (MRFA) with a polychoric correlation matrix and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with Mean and Variance Adjusted Maximum Likelihood (MLMV) estimation. Concurrent validity was examined via Spearman's correlation between MEBS-TR and MEDAS scores. For reliability analysis, Cronbach's alpha (α) and McDonald's omega (ω) internal consistency coefficients were calculated, along with test-retest reliability using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC).

The MRFA results confirmed the original 17-item, four-factor structure (Focused Eating, Hunger and Satiety Cues, Eating with Awareness, and Eating without Distraction), which explained 81.81% of the total variance. CFA demonstrated that this four-factor model had acceptable model fit indices (χ2/df = 2.777, CFI = 0.941, TLI = 0.928, RMSEA = 0.065). The internal consistency coefficients for the total scale were found to be high (Cronbach's α = 0.861, McDonald's ω = 0.867). Test-retest reliability, assessed with 150 participants, was found to be excellent (ICC = 0.969). A positive and statistically significant relationship was found between the MEBS-TR total score and the MEDAS total score (rho = .163, p = .001).

These findings demonstrate that the MEBS-TR is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing mindful eating behaviors among adults aged 65 years and older in Türkiye.