Cross-cultural validity of the food-related lifestyles instrument (FRL) within Western Europe

The food-related lifestyle instrument (FRL) is tested for cross-cultural validity. In the first part of the analysis, consumer samples from Denmark (N = 1209), France (N = 1000), Germany (N = 1000), Spain (N = 1000), and the UK (N = 1000) are compared using multi-sample confirmatory factor analysis with structured means. Results indicate that factor loadings, factor covariances and factor variances are invariant between countries, whereas item intercepts and error variances are not. In the second part of the analysis, replication samples from France (N1 = 1000, N2 = 1000), Germany (N1 = 1000, N2 = 1042), and the UK (N1 = 1000, N2 = 1000) are examined for intra-cultural stability using the same statistical models. Results indicate that the factorial structure is completely invariant over time in three of five FRL domains, and only subject to minor variations in the other two domains. In the third part of the analysis, a revised version of the FRL is tested for cross-cultural validity, based on consumer samples from France (N = 1000) and the UK (N = 1000). Results indicate that the revised version of the FRL is cross-culturally valid in terms of factor loadings, factor covariances, and factor variances, but still subject to variation in item intercepts and error variances.