Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of Food Craving Inventory (FCI-SP)

Objective: The objectives of the study were to analyze the psychometric properties, factor structure and internal consistency of the Spanish version of the Food Craving Inventory (FCI-SP), as well as to determine its validity by evaluating the relationship of the FCI to different instruments. Methods: The sample comprised a group of patients and a group of students. The patient group included 216 people diagnosed with adaptive, anxiety disorders, and mild or moderate depressive episodes without psychotic symptoms. The patient group included 79 men (36.57%) and 137 women (63.43%), and the mean age was 38.27 years (SD = 9.57). All the patients had clinical characteristics, which enabled them to be treated as outpatients. The group of students comprised 142 people, none of whom had any psychiatric history of note. In this group there were 53 men (37.32%) and 89 women (62.68%), and the mean age was 21.45 years (SD = 5.04). Results: The best solution for the principal axis analysis revealed three factors (simple sugars/trans fats, complex carbohydrates/proteins, and saturated fats/high calorie content (fast food). The internal consistency of the FCI-SP and its subscales was determined by means of Cronbach’s alpha, with values ranging between 0.78 and 0.95. The correlations with other instruments reflected adequate validity. Discussion: The Spanish version of the FCI (FCI-SP) meets the psychometric requirements for measuring the food craving and shows adequate internal consistency and validity.