Validation of the Diet Satisfaction Questionnaire: a new measure of satisfaction with diets for weight management

Objective The Diet Satisfaction Questionnaire was developed to fill the need for a validated measure to evaluate satisfaction with weight-management diets. This paper further develops the questionnaire, examining the factor structure of the original questionnaire, cross-validating a revised version in a second sample and relating diet satisfaction to weight loss during a 1-year trial. Methods The 45-item Diet Satisfaction Questionnaire (DSat-45) uses seven scales to assess characteristics that influence diet satisfaction: Healthy Lifestyle, Convenience, Cost, Family Dynamics, Preoccupation with Food, Negative Aspects, and Planning and Preparation. It was administered five times during a 1-year weight-loss trial (n = 186 women) and once as an online survey in a separate sample (n = 510 adults). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess and refine the DSat-45 structure, and reliability and validity data were examined in both samples for the revised questionnaire, the DSat-28. Associations were examined between both DSat questionnaires and weight loss in the trial. Results Internal consistency (reliability) was moderate for the DSat-45. Confirmatory factor analysis showed improved fit for a five-factor structure, resulting in the DSat-28 that retained four of the original scales and a shortened fifth scale. This revised questionnaire was reliable in both samples. Weight loss across the year-long trial was positively related to satisfaction with Healthy Lifestyle, Preoccupation with Food, and Planning and Preparation in both versions of the questionnaire. Conclusions Measures of reliability and validity were improved in the more concise DSat-28 compared to the DSat-45. This shorter measure should be used in future work to evaluate satisfaction with weight-management diets.