Table 2 Descriptive statistics, reliability coefficients, and standardized factor loading for the Arabic EAT-16 version

Self-perception of Body Shape

I am terrified about being overweight (1)

1.13 (1.22)

0.66

0.66

0.71

I am occupied with a desire to be thinner (11)

1.16 (1.30)

0.83

I am preoccupied with the thought of having fat on my body (14)

0.70 (1.12)

0.44

Dieting

I feel extremely guilty after eating (10)

0.63 (1.07)

0.66

0.74

0.74

I think about burning up calories when I exercise (12)

1.16 (1.29)

0.69

I feel uncomfortable after eating sweets (22)

0.77 (1.14)

0.56

I engage in dieting behavior (23)

0.75 (1.10)

0.58

I Like my stomach to be empty (24)

0.67 (1.05)

0.48

Awareness of Food Contents

I am aware of the calorie content of foods that I eat (6)

0.44 (0.91)

0.61

0.75

0.75

I particularly avoid food with a high carbohydrate content (i.e. bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) (7)

0.38 (0.85)

0.66

I avoid foods with sugar in them (16)

0.52 (0.94)

0.62

I eat diet foods (17)

0.43 (0.88)

0.73

Food Preoccupation

I find myself preoccupied with food (3)

0.65 (1.04)

0.69

0.80

0.80

I have gone on eating binges where I feel that I may not be able to stop (4)

0.60 (1.02)

0.69

I feel that food controls my life (18)

0.60 (1.05)

0.78

I give too much time and thought to food (21)

0.59 (1.03)

0.67

EAT-16 total Score

11.20 (10.10)

–

0.88

0.88