2.2.2. Motivation for Eating Scale (MFES)
when I choose to eat are when I see something good at the checkout
stand”; α = .78 in the present study); Physical eating (P), that takes
the body needs food (sample item, “The situations or conditions that
F. Laghi et al.
because I haven't eaten”; α = .84 in the present study); Social eating, de-
fined as food consumption that occurs in response to participation in so-
cial functions, family gatherings, or other group activities (sample item,
“The situations or conditions that most often exist when I choose to eat are
when I am at a social occasion or party”; α = .76 in the present study).
Several reviews of motivations for eating instruments have found the
MFES to be a valid and reliable measure, providing support for use of
the MFES in community and college settings. MFES subscales correlated
predictably with subscales from the Emotional Eating Scale and the
Three Factor Eating Questionnaire suggesting good convergent validity.