title: The Meal Pattern Questionnaire: A psychometric evaluation using the Eating Disorder Examination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Meal pattern is an important variable in both obesity treatment and treatment for eating disorders. Momentary assessment and eating diaries are highly valid measurement methods but often cumbersome and not always feasible to use in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a self-report instrument for measuring meal patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Pattern of eating item from the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) interview was adapted to self-report format to follow the same overall structure as the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. The new instrument was named the Meal Patterns Questionnaire (MPQ) and was compared with the EDE in a student sample (n=105) and an obese sample (n=111).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The individual items of the MPQ and the EDE showed moderate to high correlations (rho=.63-89) in the two samples. Significant differences between the MPQ and EDE were only found for two items in the obese sample. The total scores correlated to a high degree (rho=.87/.74) in both samples and no significant differences were found in this variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MPQ can provide an overall picture of a person's eating patterns and is a valid way to collect data regarding meal patterns. The MPQ may be a useable tool in clinical practice and research studies when more extensive instruments cannot be used. Future studies should evaluate the MPQ in diverse cultural populations and with more ecological assessment methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: sven.alfonsson@pubcare.uu.se.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfonsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, 751 42 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sewall
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, 751 42 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lidholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, 751 42 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hursti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals / Q000523:psychology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Eating behavior; Meal pattern; Obesity; Psychometric; Snacking