Validation and measurement invariance of the muscularity-oriented eating test among Brazilian men and women

Author(s)

de Carvalho, Pedro Henrique Berbert ; Bagolin, Vitoria ; Junqueira, Alessandra Costa Pereira ; Nagata, Jason M. ; Cattle, Chloe J. ; Murray, Stuart B. ; Compte, Emilio J. ; Costa, Telma Maria Braga ; Almeida, Sebastiao Sousa ; Laus, Maria Fernanda

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS; v. N/A, p. 13-pg., 2022-03-12.

Abstract

Objective The Muscularity-Oriented Eating Test (MOET) is a 15-item unidimensional scale, designed to assess eating practices that occur in the pursuit of a muscular body. The aim of the present study was to describe the translation and cultural adaptation of the MOET to Brazilian Portuguese, to explore its factor structure and measurement invariance, and to evaluate its internal consistency, three-week test-retest reliability, and convergent validity in a community sample of Brazilian men and women. Method After the back-translation procedure, the Brazilian MOET was administered online to a sample of 1246 adults (634 men and 612 women), along with measures of drive for muscularity, muscle dysmorphia symptoms, muscular/athletic-ideal internalization, disordered eating behaviors, and exercise dependence. Results Findings from an exploratory factor analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis revealed a one-factor structure and adequate internal consistency for men (omega = 0.86; alpha = 0.86) and women (omega = .84; alpha = .83). Measurement invariance across gender was supported. In addition, the scale demonstrated good three week test-retest reliability for both men (ICC = .96; p < .001) and women (ICC = .92; p < .001), and the subscales revealed moderate to large associations with drive for muscularity, muscle dysmorphia symptoms, muscular/athletic-ideal internalization, disordered eating, and exercise dependence. Conclusion This study supports the validity and reliability of the MOET in a community sample of Brazilian men and women and represents an advance in measures of muscularity-oriented disordered eating in Brazilian adults, allowing for future cross-cultural studies in this field. Public Significance The Muscularity-Oriented Eating Test (MOET) is a measure of muscularity-oriented disordered eating, which assess strict adherence to diet rules, including the food's macronutrient content, regulation of protein intake, and eating less or more to influence muscle gain. This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the MOET in a community sample of Brazilian men and women. Our findings represent an advance in measures of muscularity-oriented disordered eating in Brazilian adults. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/11291-0 - Validation study of the Brazilian version of the Muscularity-Oriented Eating Test (MOET) in young adults of both sexes
• Grantee: Vitória Bagolin
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation