RAID-FN Development and Validation

Summary:  View help for Summary

Objective

To develop and validate a psychometric instrument—the Ro Allison Indiana Dhurandhar Food Noise Inventory (RAID-FN)—for measuring food noise, defined as "persistent thoughts about food that are perceived by the individual as unwanted and/or dysphoric and may cause harm, including social, mental, or physical problems".

Methods

Four online studies with nationally representative U.S. adult samples were conducted. We performed item reduction, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory (IRT), internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and validity checks. 29 items were refined into a 23-item long form and a 7-item short form for use in various settings.

Key Findings

• Structure: Three factors—Preoccupation, Persistence, and Dysphoria.
• Reliability: Short form showed strong internal consistency (α = 0.90) and test–retest reliability (r = 0.89).
• Validity: Strong correlations with food cravings (ρ = .79) and food-cue responsivity (ρ = .68); weak correlations with social desirability and dietary restraint, supporting discriminant validity.
• IRT: Scale most precise for individuals with higher food noise levels.

Implications

RAID-FN is a brief, valid, and reliable tool for assessing food noise. Future work will test its utility in clinical populations and responsiveness to interventions.

Funding Sources:  View help for Funding Sources Roman Health Ventures LLC (Ro)