This article describes the development of the Eating Maturity Questionnaire, a self-reported measurement of eating maturity that initiates and gives direction to human eating behaviors. The Eating Maturity Questionnaire was designed to study individuals’ biological and psychosocial motives for eating. The Eating Maturity Questionnaire is a 21-item tool with satisfactory psychometric values (Cronbach’s α coefficients between 0.83 and 0.88) consisting of two subscales: Rational Eating and Psychosocial Maturity. Eating Maturity Questionnaire results may be used to design programs that target eating behaviors and body mass modification.
AllportGW (1961) Pattern and Growth in Personality. New York: Rinehart & Winston.
2.
AntonovskyA (1993) The structure and properties of the sense of coherence scale. Social Science & Medicine36: 725–733.
3.
Binkowska-BuryMKrukWSzymańskaJ. (2010) Psychosocial factors and health-related behavior among students from south-east Poland. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine17: 107–113.
4.
BoguszewskiDAdamczykJGKowalskaS. (2014) The evaluation of health-related behaviours between the physically active and non-active women. Polish Journal Public Health124(1): 10–13.
5.
JuczyńskiZ (2012) Narzędzia pomiaru w promocji i psychologii zdrowia [The tools of measurement in health promotion and psychology]. Warsaw: PTP.
6.
KochanskaG (1984) Regulatory theory of personality and the development of prosocial behaviors. In: StaubEBar-TalDKarylowskiJ. (eds) Development and Maintenance of Prosocial Behavior: International Perspectives on Positive Morality. New York: Plenum Press, pp. 155–175.
7.
KoniarekJDudekBMakowskaZ (1993) Kwestionariusz Orientacji Życiowej. Adaptacja The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (SOC) A.Antonovsky’ego[Questionnaire of life orientation. Adaptation of Antonovsky’s: The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire]. Przegl Psychol4: 491–502.
8.
LipowskiM (2012) Level of optimism and health behavior in athletes. Medical Science Monitor18(1): CR39–CR43.
9.
MiettolaJViljanenAM (2014) A salutogenic approach to prevention of metabolic syndrome: A mixed methods population study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care32: 217–225.
10.
OgdenJ (2010) The Psychology of Eating: From Healthy to Disordered Behavior. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
11.
RoblesBSmithLVPonceM. (2014) The influence of gender and self-efficacy on healthy eating in a low-income urban population affected by structural changes to the food environment. Journal of Obesity. Epub ahead of print 27March. DOI:10.1155/2014/908391.
12.
SarenmalmEKBrowallMPerssonLO. (2013) Relationship of sense of coherence to stressful events, coping strategies, health status, and quality of life in women with breast cancer. Psychooncology22: 20–27.
13.
SharkeyJRHorelSDeanWR (2010) Neighborhood deprivation, vehicle ownership, and potential spatial access to a variety of fruits and vegetables in a large rural area in Texas. International Journal of Health Geographics9: 26.
StoryMNeumark-SztainerDFrenchS (2002) Individual and environmental influences on adolescent eating behaviors. Journal of the American Dietetic Association102(3 Suppl.): S40–S51.
16.
VerstraetenRVan RoyenKOchoa-AvilesA. (2014) A conceptual framework for healthy eating behavior in Ecuadorian adolescents: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE9(1): e87183.
17.
WainwrightNWJSurteesPGWelchAA. (2007) Healthy lifestyle choices: Could sense of coherence aid health promotion?Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health61: 871–876.
18.
World Health Organization (WHO) (2008) 2008–2013 Action plan for the global strategy for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. Available at: http://www.who.int/hia/evidence/doh/en/ (accessed 15 December 2014).
ZiarkoMKaczmarekŁDMojsE (2012) Mediating role of coping styles in the relationship between anxiety and health behaviors of obese adolescents. Polish Psychological Bulletin43(2): 145–150.
