From concept to measurement: initial validation of the Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Scale

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new, brief, and reliable tool to measure ultra-processed food consumption that can be used across cultures.

Contribution

The paper presents the development and validation of a new UPF consumption scale with strong psychometric properties.

Findings

The UPFCS has a unidimensional structure and strong internal consistency.

UPFCS scores correlate with food addiction symptoms but not with BMI or Mediterranean diet adherence.

Mediterranean diet adherence moderates the link between UPF consumption and food addiction symptoms.

Abstract

High consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) has been consistently linked to negative health outcomes, but existing tools for assessing UPF consumption are often lengthy, culturally specific, or psychometrically underdeveloped. The present research aimed to develop and validate the Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Scale (UPFCS); that is, a brief, psychometrically sound, and cross-culturally applicable measurement.

In Study 1 (n = 325), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to examine the factorial structure and internal consistency of the 30-item UPFCS. Study 2 (n = 129) evaluated test–retest reliability across a 2-week interval, and Study 3 (n = 144) assessed convergent validity by examining associations to Mediterranean diet adherence, body mass index (BMI), and food addiction, as well as testing the moderating role of Mediterranean diet adherence.

EFA and internal consistency supported a unidimensional structure, while test–retest reliability was moderate to strong. UPFCS scores were positively associated with food addiction symptoms, but not with BMI or Mediterranean diet adherence. Exploratory moderation analysis indicated that adherence to a Mediterranean diet attenuated the relationship between UPF consumption and food addiction symptoms, with the effect strongest among those with low Mediterranean dietary adherence.

The UPFCS demonstrates robust psychometric properties and practical utility for assessing ultra-processed food consumption in behavioural and nutritional research.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40519-026-01825-9.

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