Table 3.
The results of the loading and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the applied Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) for the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic for the sample of female adolescents studied within the PLACE-19 Study (n = 1552).
| Descriptions of Items Defined within Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) * | Before the COVID-19 Pandemic | During the COVID-19 Pandemic | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading | α ** | Loading | α ** | |
| Factor 1—Health | ||||
| Contains a lot of vitamins and minerals | 0.87 | 0.91 | 0.92 | 0.92 |
| Is nutritious | 0.86 | 0.91 | ||
| Keeps me healthy | 0.85 | 0.86 | ||
| Is high in protein | 0.82 | 0.86 | ||
| Is good for my skin/teeth/hair/nails etc. | 0.79 | 0.89 | ||
| Is high in fiber and roughage | 0.80 | 0.86 | ||
| Factor 2—Mood | ||||
| Helps me relax | 0.85 | 0.84 | 0.89 | 0.90 |
| Cheers me up | 0.80 | 0.83 | ||
| Helps me to cope with life | 0.78 | 0.83 | ||
| Helps me cope with stress | 0.77 | 0.84 | ||
| Keeps me awake/alert | 0.69 | 0.75 | ||
| Makes me feel good | 0.60 | 0.76 | ||
| Factor 3—Convenience | ||||
| Takes no time to prepare | 0.86 | 0.85 | 0.88 | 0.89 |
| Is easily available in shops and supermarkets | 0.76 | 0.79 | ||
| Can be cooked very simply | 0.85 | 0.88 | ||
| Can be bought in shops close to where I live or work | 0.75 | 0.80 | ||
| Is easy to prepare | 0.72 | 0.80 | ||
| Factor 4—Sensory Appeal | ||||
| Smells nice | 0.85 | 0.79 | 0.90 | 0.85 |
| Looks nice | 0.85 | 0.89 | ||
| Has a pleasant texture | 0.74 | 0.77 | ||
| Tastes good | 0.69 | 0.76 | ||
| Factor 5—Natural Content | ||||
| Contains no artificial ingredients | 0.83 | 0.80 | 0.86 | 0.86 |
| Contains natural ingredients | 0.85 | 0.89 | ||
| Contains no additives | 0.85 | 0.90 | ||
| Factor 6—Price | ||||
| Is cheap | 0.87 | 0.80 | 0.91 | 0.87 |
| Is not expensive | 0.86 | 0.91 | ||
| Is good value for money | 0.80 | 0.86 | ||
| Factor 7—Weight Control | ||||
| Is low in calories | 0.88 | 0.82 | 0.91 | 0.87 |
| Is low in fat | 0.84 | 0.88 | ||
| Helps me control my weight | 0.85 | 0.88 | ||
| Factor 8—Familiarity | ||||
| Is what I usually eat | 0.83 | 0.66 | 0.88 | 0.79 |
| Is familiar | 0.77 | 0.86 | ||
| Is like the food I ate when I was a child | 0.71 | 0.78 | ||
| Factor 9—Ethical Concern | ||||
| Has the country of origin clearly marked | 0.84 | 0.76 | 0.89 | 0.83 |
| Comes from countries I approve of politically | 0.83 | 0.89 | ||
| Is packaged in an environmentally friendly way | 0.79 | 0.83 | ||