This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the food choice questionnaire (FCQ) and determine food choice motives among different study subgroups.

This cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires, including socio-demographic information and body weight and height data. In addition, study samples were asked to complete the Persian version of the FCQ.

Educational and medical centres under the coverage of the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran.

Study samples were 871 adults (60·5 % female) selected using a convenience sampling method.

Mean ± sd age and BMI were 33·4 ± 10·7 years and 24·3 ± 5·2 kg/m2, respectively. More than one-third of the study samples were overweight/obese (35·8 %). A nine-structure model including thirty-two items of the original FCQ showed acceptable fit indices as follows: χ2/df = 3·39, goodness-of-fit index = 0·905, incremental fit index = 0·92, comparative fit index = 0·92, root mean square error of approximation (90 % CI) = 0·052 (0·049, 0·055). Regarding food choice motives, the three most important motives for food choice ranked by study samples were sensory appeal, natural content and health, respectively. Study samples ranked ethical concern as the least important food choice motive.

These findings support the reliability and validity of the Iranian version of the FCQ. Additionally, results indicate the most important motives for food choice across various socio-demographic and weight status groups which can provide beneficial information for marketing practices in Iran and promote the food choices of Iranians.

The face and construct validity of the Iranian version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) was evaluated, and the convergent validity and test–retest reliability of both Iranian and original versions of YFAS for obese women were assessed.

The internal consistency of the YFAS was analysed. Exploratory factor analysis for dichotomous data was performed by varimax rotation, polychoric correlation coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent validity was established by evaluating the correlation between the original and the Iranian versions of YFAS and the Binge Eating Scale (BES). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was measured between test–retest results.

A weight management clinic in Tehran.

450 obese women.

The single-factor structure indicated that the factor loadings for all the items were > 0·5, except for three items (explained proportion variance = 51 %). Based on CFA, the single factor had a better fit to the data after excluding three items. The Kuder–Richardson-20 coefficient was 0·86 for the total twenty-two items. The symptom count and diagnostic version of both the Iranian (ICC = 0·92 and 0·87, respectively) and original YFAS (ICC = 0·92 and 0·86, respectively) were stable over 2 weeks. Both the symptom count and the diagnostic version of these two scales had significant correlations with the measures of BES (P < 0·001).

The initial reliability and validity of the Iranian version of the YFAS among obese women are supported. Further studies should be conducted on men and normal/overweight samples.