Development and validation of the food cue responsivity scale

•Development of a brief and psychometrically sound measure that reflected aspects of food cue responsivity.•Utilization of an objectively observed behavioral/physiological as criterion validity and strong empirical evidence of consistency, reliability and validity.•Physiological reactivity to food cues may be critical in identifying a specific phenotype of individuals who may struggle in behavioral weight loss programs. Food cues are ubiquitous in today's environment; however, there is heterogeneity as to the extent to which these cues impact eating behavior among individuals. This study examines the validity and reliability of the Food Cue Responsivity Scale (FCRS) to assess responsivity to distinct types of food cues. Items gathered from existing measures were combined in the FCRS to reflect two subdomains, uncontrolled eating behavior and cognitive rumination. The criterion validity of the FCRS was established using a paradigm that assesses psychophysiological responsivity to a craved food among adults with overweight or obesity. Higher overall FCRS scores were associated with greater physiological responsivity to food exposures. These findings may help identify specific phenotypes of individuals with overweight or obesity with high responsivity to food cues, which could be used to understand overeating and response to weight-loss programs.