Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the food neophobia scale in adolescents

Abstract

Objective: Food neophobia is an aversion or reluctance to eat new or unfamiliar foods. The aim of this study was to establish the Turkish validity and reliability of the Food Neophobia Scale, which is used to measure the fear of trying new foods, in the adolescent age group. Method: The study was conducted with high school students in the province of Rize during the 2023-2024 academic year. The sample of the study was comprised of 466 students in 13-18 age range. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing demographic characteristics and the Food Neophobia Scale. To assess the validity and reliability of the scale, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient were used. Results: The mean age of the students included in the study was 15.4±1.1 years 50.6% were male. The items in the scale used in the study were found to have sufficient correlation and the dataset was suitable for factor analysis (KMO=0.747; Bartlett’s sphericity test, p<0.001). The Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed that the scale had a good model fit (χ2=3.78, p<0.001). The Cronbach α internal consistency coefficient for the scale integrity was 0.71. Conclusion: The Turkish Food Neophobia Scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool. The scale can determine food neophobia in adolescents aged 13-18.