Psychometric assessment of Persian translation of Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) in Iranian college students

Background Food addiction at the individual level causes physical and mental health problems, impairs individuals' social functioning, and causes dysfunction in the family system. Therefore, a tool to identify this behavioral disorder is one of the health requirements of communities. This research aimed to investigate the psychometric assessment of the Persian translation of Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) in Iranian college students. Method This research was cross-sectional descriptive, and 451 students were selected by convenience sampling method. Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait, reduced (FCQ-T-r) were used to collect data. Results The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that single-factor model provides a good fit to data (SRMR = 0.078; CFI = 0.94; NFI = 0.92; IFI = 0.94; RFI = 0.91; GFI = 0.90; RMSEA = 0.078). The YFAS's 2.0 positive correlations with three DASS-21 subscales ranged from 0.30 to 0.39, and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait, reduced (FCQ-T-r) ranged from 0.58 to 0.72. All correlations were statistically significant, indicating acceptable convergent validity (P < 0.01). Conclusion The validity of the Persian questionnaire translation has been confirmed. Researchers and specialists can use this scale to diagnose food addiction for research or diagnostic purposes in Iranian society. Plain English summary The term "food addiction" refers to the behavior of consuming highly palatable foods (such as salty, fatty, and sweet foods) in quantities beyond what is necessary to maintain a healthy diet. Some individuals may become addicted to food by consuming palatable and highly processed foods (e.g., fast food). There is growing scientific interest in food addiction. This study aims to examine the psychometric assessment of Persian translation of Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) In Iranian college students. Participants in the study included 451 Iranian college students who completed both questionnaires online. The results showed that the YFAS's 2.0, DASS-21, and FCQ-T-r had positive correlations indicating acceptable convergent validity. So the Persian translation YFAS 2.0 is suitable for measuring food addiction among Iranian college students, and it could be used in clinical and research settings.