Dietary acculturation scale 2.0 for international students: cross-cultural validation incorporating food insecurity and eating well-being constructs

Tumuli Iulio

Princess Margaret Hospital, Funafuti Island, Private Mail Bag, Tuvalu

Email:tumshinaiulio@gmail.com

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Abstract

This study developed and validated the Dietary Acculturation Scale 2.0 (DAS-2.0), a multidimensional instrument designed to assess dietary acculturation among international university students. A total of 298 valid responses were analyzed following established scale development procedures. The revised scale integrates three conceptual domains: behavioral dietary adaptation, food insecurity and structural access, and eating well-being. Exploratory factor analysis supported a three-factor structure, which was subsequently confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. The scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and cross-cultural measurement invariance across major regional groups. Preliminary criterion-related validity was supported through significant correlations with self-rated health and dietary satisfaction indicators. By incorporating structural and experiential dimensions, the DAS-2.0 extends prior dietary acculturation measures and provides a psychometrically sound tool for international student research.

Keywords: Dietary acculturation; Scale development; Psychometric validation; Food insecurity; Eating well-being; Cross-cultural validation; International students; Nutrition assessment.

Received: 2025-10-22 Revised: 2025-12-16 Accepted: 2025-12-19 

Tone Uprising: A Journal of Narrative Sovereignty, 2(Article 2), 1–22

Rolling Publication (Annual Volume)

語氣起義:敘事主權期刊, 第2卷,第2篇,2026年。

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ISSN (Online): 3105-1456

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ISSN(線上版):3105-1456