Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) — Nutrition and Diet Motives Test
Likert-scale measure of motives behind food selection (health, convenience, price, sensory appeal).
The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) is a validated Likert-scale measure that helps you discover the primary motives behind your food selection. Designed for Nutrition and Diet contexts, this quick self-assessment evaluates core drivers such as health, convenience, price and sensory appeal so you can better understand why you choose the foods you eat. Use this FCQ to gain insight into eating patterns, inform meal planning, and create targeted strategies for healthier choices.
This Nutrition and Diet FCQ is ideal for individuals, dietitians, researchers, and wellness coaches seeking a structured way to assess food choice motives. The quiz is optimized to highlight categories like health motivation, time and convenience pressures, budget constraints, and sensory preferences (taste, smell, texture, appearance). Completing this questionnaire takes only a few minutes and provides actionable feedback to improve dietary decisions and lifestyle planning.
How important is it that the food you choose is low in fat?
Assess the role of fat content in your food-selection decisions.
How important is it that the food you choose is high in vitamins and minerals?
Evaluate how micronutrient content impacts your choices.
How important is it that the food you choose helps you maintain or control your weight?
Reflect on weight management as a motivator for food choices.
How important is it that the food you choose keeps you healthy in the long term?
Consider long-term health outcomes when selecting food.
How important is it that the food you choose is easy and quick to prepare?
Gauge the influence of preparation time on your choices.
How important is it that the food you choose is ready to eat or requires minimal handling?
This measures reliance on convenience foods or prepared options.
How important is it that the food you choose is readily available where you shop or eat?
Availability and accessibility can strongly shape decisions.
How important is it that the food you choose has a long shelf life or stores easily?
This reflects storage and planning considerations.
How important is it that the food you choose is inexpensive?
Assess how price sensitivity shapes purchases.
How important is it that the food offers good value for money?
Evaluate perceived value rather than just absolute cost.
How important is it that the food you choose is on sale or discounted?
Promotions and discounts can heavily influence purchase patterns.
How important is it that the food you choose fits your household budget?
Consider broader financial constraints in meal choices.
How important is it that the food you choose tastes good?
Taste is a key sensory driver behind food selection.
How important is it that the food you choose has a pleasant smell?
Aroma can strongly influence appetite and choice.
How important is it that the food you choose has a pleasant texture?
Texture preferences often drive repeat choice and satisfaction.
How important is it that the food you choose looks attractive or appealing?
Visual presentation can influence perceptions and choice.
Frequently asked questions
The FCQ measures motives behind food selection across several domains — in this version: health, convenience, price and sensory appeal. Each domain is assessed with Likert items to determine the relative importance of these motives for an individual.
This Nutrition and Diet FCQ contains 16 items and typically takes 3–6 minutes to complete, depending on how much time you spend reflecting on each question.
Each of the four domains (Health, Convenience, Price, Sensory Appeal) has four items rated on a 1–5 Likert scale. Subscale totals range from 4 to 20. Higher subscale scores indicate greater importance of that motive. Use the results to prioritize behavioral strategies that align with your dominant motives.
Yes. The FCQ helps identify what drives your food choices so you can tailor interventions. For example, if convenience scores are high, adopt meal-prep routines; if sensory scores are high, focus on healthier cooking techniques that enhance flavor. Consider consulting a dietitian for personalized plans.
The FCQ is widely used in nutrition and behavioral research. This simplified FCQ is suitable for screening, program evaluation, and consumer studies. For clinical diagnostics or rigorous research, use the full validated FCQ or consult methodological literature to ensure appropriate psychometric properties.
Retake the FCQ every 4–8 weeks if you are implementing dietary changes, or quarterly to monitor long-term shifts in motives. Regular reassessment helps evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and tracks evolving priorities.
Privacy practices depend on the platform hosting the FCQ. Before taking the quiz, review the site’s privacy policy to understand data storage, sharing, and anonymization. Many platforms allow anonymous completion for self-assessment purposes.
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