Development and validation of the Japanese version of Salzburg emotional eating scale: insights into sex differences, BMI, and emotional eating patterns

Objective Variability in eating patterns has not been explored in Japan with a localised measurement tool. Therefore, the current study aimed to develop and validate the Japanese version of the Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale (SEES-J), explore emotional eating patterns in university students and other general adults, and examine relationships between emotional eating, BMI, and eating pathologies.Method A sample of 653 Japanese adults participated in this two-phase study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses assessed the scale’s structure. Reliability tests examined its internal consistency based on Cronbach’s alpha; validity tests assessed its correlation with other variables. Cluster analysis identified emotional eating patterns.Results SEES-J demonstrated happiness, sadness, anger, anxiety as four factors. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct patterns: overeating, undereating, and no change. Overeating was associated with greater eating pathology in female participants but demonstrates no direct correlation with BMI. Differences between male and female participants were significant; more female participants reported emotional eating associated with anger than male participants.Conclusion SEES-J demonstrated high reliability and validity in assessing emotional eating in Japan. This scale may support future research on emotional eating and support emotional eating interventions to reduce risk for the development of disordered eating symptoms in non-clinical populations.