Adaptation of the diet information load scale to turkish: Validity and reliability study

Göçmen, H., Adaptation of the Diet Information Load Scale to Turkish: Validity and Reliability Study, Nuh Naci Yazgan University Health Sciences Institute, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Master Thesis, Kayseri, 2024. This study aims to translate the 'Diet Information Overload' scale, which was developed and validated to assess individuals' perceptions of the dietary information environment, into Turkish and to ensure its cross-cultural adaptation. The survey was conducted between November 2023 and June 2024 with a total of 464 individuals residing in Kayseri, aged 18 and over, who participated voluntarily. The data were collected by the researcher through face-to-face interviews. In order to evaluate the scale's invariance over time and consistency between the applications, it was reapplied to 150 people two weeks after the first application, and the test-retest reliability was analyzed. The language validity of the scale was ensured by using the translation-retranslation method. The intraclass reliability coefficient (ICC) was calculated to measure consistency in repeated measures (test-retest), and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated for internal consistency. In order to evaluate the content validity, the comprehensive validity ratio and content validity index values were calculated as 1 using the Davis technique, and these values were deemed sufficient for content validity. The construct validity of the scale was determined by confirmatory factor analysis for three different models. All path coefficients (estimates) obtained as a result of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). The chi-square/sd ratio calculated for the models was found to be less than two. When looking at the goodness of fit index (GFI), comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) and normed fit index (NFI), it was determined that the statistics were greater than 95%; and according to the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), the statistics were found to be less than 5%. According to all indices, it is seen that the data provide adequate fit indices in all models, or the data validate the models. The ICC statistic calculated for all three models was found to be adequate (>0.70). When the internal consistency of the scale was examined, Cronbach's alpha coefficient for model 1 (α=0.748) and model 2 (α=0.722) was found to be reliable. However, the reliability coefficient of model 3 (α=0.643) has been found to be lower due to the decrease in the number of items. These findings reveal that the items in the scale are highly consistent with each other and provide the overall integrity of the scale. As a result of the comprehensive analysis, statistically significant results were obtained, and it was determined that these results were compatible with the original scale. The Turkish adaptation of the Dietary Information Load Scale is evaluated as a valid and reliable measurement tool; in this context, the "Dietary Information Load" Scale can be used as a practical measurement tool to assess individuals' perceptions of the dietary information environment. Keywords: Diet information load, Scale, Validity, Reliability