An Arabic Version of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2: Translation and Validation Among the Saudi Population

Background: Eating is a complex behavior in humans, shaped by an interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Tools like the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) offer valuable insights into eating behaviors, but their effectiveness depends on cultural and linguistic adaptability.Objective: In this study, we translated the IES-2 into Arabic and validated its psychometric properties among a large Arabic-speaking sample in Saudi Arabia.Methods: The IES-2 was translated using the forward-backward translation approach. The final translated version was distributed online to a convenient sample of the Saudi population. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine the construct validity of the subscales, while internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha.Results: A total of 522 participants, of average age 32.9 ± 11.9 years, completed the survey. Factor analysis of the scale’s 23 items identified four factors that align with the subscales: Eating for Physical Rather than Emotional Reasons (Factor 1), Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues (Factor 2), Unconditional Permission to Eat (Factor 3), and Body-Food Choices (Factor 4). Bartlett’s test of sphericity showed that the factor solution was invertible (χ2(253)=5600.99, p < 0.001), while the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy = 0.871. Bivariate correlations (Pearson’s correlation test) between the measured concepts showed that all four subscales correlated positively and significantly with each other (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The psychometric property analysis supported the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the IES-2. Future research should focus on further refining these tools to enhance their applicability in diverse settings.