Could the Food Neophobia Scale Be Used in Turkish Pregnant Women? A Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Relationship with Prenatal Attachment

Abstract Background Pregnancy is a critical period that shapes both maternal and fetal health outcomes, and maternal dietary behavior plays a key role in this process. Food neophobia—defined as the reluctance to try unfamiliar foods—can potentially limit dietary diversity during pregnancy. However, the applicability and psychometric validity of the Food Neophobia Scale among pregnant populations remain underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Food Neophobia Scale in a pregnant sample, explore its association with prenatal attachment, and examine whether sociodemographic and pregnancy-related variables predict neophobic tendencies. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 500 pregnant women in the final trimester of pregnancy in Erzurum, Türkiye. The participants completed the Food Neophobia Scale, which consists of 10 items on a 7-point rating scale, and the Prenatal Attachment Inventory, which comprises 21 items on a 4-point scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the scale's factor structure. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between food neophobia, prenatal attachment, and demographic variables. Results Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional model of the FNS, with acceptable model fit indices (CFI = 0.974, TLI = 0.964, RMSEA = 0.0731 (90% CI: 0.0577–0.0891), and SRMR = 0.0339). Significant negative correlations were found between the total PAI score and total FNS score (r=-0.183, p < 0.001), as well as with several FNS items (p < 0.01). Additionally, place of residence significantly predicted the PAI score, whereas other demographic variables had no significant effect. Conclusions The findings support the use of the Food Neophobia Scale among pregnant women and highlight a noteworthy inverse relationship between prenatal attachment and food neophobia. Additionally, findings indicate that addressing food neophobia in pregnant women may contribute to enhanced prenatal attachment by facilitating more adaptive and engaged maternal health behaviors.