Psychometric Properties of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0) among Malaysian Samples

Abstract

Food addiction is an unhealthy behavioral pattern related to foods high in sugar, fat and salt. While previous studies in Malaysia have focused on food addiction in clinical settings, female students in the early adult category may also be at risk, particularly in relation to their weight and BMI. This study aimed to examine the characteristics and quality of the Malay version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0. Using a purposive sampling technique, 178 female students from Malaysian public universities were surveyed. Principal Component Analysis extracted five factors and retained all 35 YFAS 2.0 items, with factor loading values ​​for each item being > 0.40. Results showed significant correlations between items and item dimensions ranging from r = .691 to r = .902. Criterion validity revealed that the clinical distress dimension and BMI criteria had the highest correlation with a value of r = .303 (p<0.01). Convergent validity between the Malay version YFAS 2.0 and EAT-26 instruments had a positive and significant relationship (r= .267, p<0.01). The instrument also demonstrated excellent reliability with a Cronbach alpha value for all items is ɑ= .972. These findings indicate that the YFAS 2.0 is a reliable and valid tool for measuring food addiction in the Malaysian context. The study highlights the importance of this instrument in raising awareness and understanding of food addiction among the Malaysian population.