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Fear of food is a common but underrecognized concern among patients with functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis, conditions often characterized by nausea, early satiety, and postprandial discomfort.
The newly developed 9-item Fear of Food Questionnaire (FFQ-9) effectively measures food-related fear and correlates with symptom burden and quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis.
Fear of food is a common but underrecognized concern among patients with functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis, conditions often characterized by nausea, early satiety, and postprandial discomfort. The original Fear of Food Questionnaire (FFQ) was designed to assess food-related fear, but its psychometric properties had not been validated in functional dyspepsia/gastroparesis populations.
Additionally, the questionnaire’s length and five-factor structure may limit its practicality in clinical settings. This study aimed to assess the factor structure of the original FFQ, develop a shorter version, and assess its validity and clinical usefulness.
Researchers conducted a psychometric validation study involving 276 consecutive adults undergoing evaluation for gastroparesis. The study population was predominantly female (66%), White (80%), with a mean age of 42.5 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the suitability of the original five-factor structure, as well as alternative unidimensional and hierarchical models.
Unique variable analysis was used to identify redundant items and create a shortened questionnaire. Subsequently, exploratory graph analysis evaluated the structural fit of the abbreviated instrument. Convergent validity, divergent validity, and clinical utility were also examined.
The original FFQ structure did not adequately capture food-related fear in patients with FD and gastroparesis. Neither the established five-factor model nor a simplified single-factor model demonstrated satisfactory performance in this population. Researchers identified multiple overlapping items and successfully reduced the questionnaire to a 9-item version, termed the FFQ-9. Key findings included:
These findings support the questionnaire's potential value as both a research and clinical assessment tool.
The FFQ-9 proved to be a practical and reliable tool for assessing food-related fear, with higher scores correlating with increased symptom severity and reduced quality of life. Future studies should evaluate the responsiveness of FFQ-9 scores to treatment-related changes and explore their applicability in other patient populations.
Neurogastroenterology & Motility
Validation of a Short-Form Fear of Food Questionnaire in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia and Gastroparesis
Sophie R Abber et al.
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