| Abstract
Purpose The present study was performed to develop the Persian version of food craving inventory (FCI) (FCI-P) and to assess food craving in Iranian adult population. In addition, individual diferences, including sex and body mass index (BMI) in food craving were assessed.
Methods Eight hundred and twenty subjects who participated in the same study Hill (Proc Nutr Soc 66: 277–285, 2007) were studied (540 women and 280 men). The FCI-P, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), and a questionnaire pertaining to demographic characteristics were completed for all participants.
Results Good content, construct, and convergent validity was observed for the FCI-P. A good reliability was found for both aggregate scores of the FCI-P and scores of its fve factors. Exploratory factor analysis showed a fve-factor model including “sweets,” “high-fat foods,” “fast food fats,” “carbohydrates/starches” and “high-fat meats”. These fve factors accounted for 47.31% of the total variance. The scores of “uncontrolled eating” and “emotional eating” of the TFEQ were significantly correlated with the scores of the FCI-P factors and its total score. A signifcant correlation was found between BMI and the FCI-P score (r=0.199). Signifcant diferences were observed in the mean age and physical activity score among normal weight, overweight, and obese participants. Normal weight and overweight groups were more active than obese group. Obese participants had higher FCI-P score (P<0.001) than the normal and overweight groups. FCI-P score was signifcantly higher in women than men.
Conclusions FCI-P can be used as a valid and reliable measure to assess food craving in Iranian populations. Obese individuals experienced food craving more than normal weight subjects. Similarly, women may experience food craving more than men.
Level of evidence Level V, cross sectional study. |