Cross-cultural adaptation of the Mindful Eating Scale shows strong psychometric properties in overweight and obese Chinese individuals

ObjectiveThis study aimed to adapt the Mindful Eating Scale (MES) for use in China and to assess its psychometric properties among individuals who are overweight or obese.MethodsThe MES was translated and back-translated following the modified Brislin translation model. After expert review and pretesting, the scale underwent cross-cultural adaptation. Study participants were recruited from individuals who are overweight or obese and admitted to the endocrinology outpatient department of a hospital in Hangzhou. The psychometric properties of the cross-culturally adapted MES were subsequently evaluated.ResultsA total of 221 questionnaires were distributed, of which 217 were returned, yielding a valid response rate of 98.19%. The cross-cultural adaptation of the MES consisted of 6 dimensions and 23 items. It demonstrated a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.905, an item-total correlation reliability of 0.833, and a retest reliability of 0.915. The chi-square-to-degrees-of freedom ratio (χ2/df) was 1.954, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was 0.066, the goodness-of-fit index (GFI) was 0.862, the adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI) was 0.818, the comparative fit index (CFI) was 0.964, and the Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) was 0.956.ConclusionThe cross-culturally adapted MES demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties. However, because dietary habits vary across regions and this study was limited to a specific region of China, further research is needed to determine whether the MES is a suitable instrument for assessing mindful eating levels among Chinese individuals who are overweight or obese.