Measuring personal values that are specific to eating: reliability, factors, and eating pattern correlates.
Eating disorders, particularly weight control disorders, appear resistant to long-term modification. While personal values have been shown to influence long-term behavior, their influence on eating patterns has not been studied because of the lack of an instrument to measure those values that are specific to eating. The Eating Values Survey (EVS) was created to measure priorities given to 21 eating-related values, such as sensory qualities of food, the experience of hunger, socializing with others, body appearance, nutritional contribution to health, etc. Responses of 109 male and 99 female university students to the EVS were found stable over a 2-week period and revealed five factors, identified as Gusto, Easy Necessity, Orderliness, Gourmet, and Social Approval. EVS scores also correlated significantly with such self-reported eating disorder variables as being overweight and self-induced vomiting. Sex differences in eating values appeared matters of emphasis rather than of distinction.
Simmons
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Oregon State University, Psychology Department, Corvallis 97330-5404.
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001835:Body Weight; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012945:Social Values