This study aimed to assess the discriminant validity of the Measure of Eating Compulsivity 10 (MEC10) and the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS2.0) in a sample of 717 inpatients with severe obesity. The MEC10 and mYFAS2.0 are commonly used tools to measure food addiction (FA) and disordered eating behaviors, respectively. Discriminant validity is crucial for ensuring that different measures of similar but distinct constructs do not correlate too highly. The study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the discriminant validity of these measures. Key findings include: - The mYFAS2.0 demonstrated excellent psychometric properties, supporting its discriminant validity with both the MEC10 and the Binge Eating Scale (BES). - The MEC10 showed moderate to high discriminant validity with the mYFAS2.0, indicating that it measures distinct constructs from the BES. - However, the MEC10 and BES had a high latent correlation (0.856), exceeding the recommended threshold for discriminant validity, suggesting potential overlap in their measurements. The study concluded that while the MEC10 has excellent psychometric properties, it is more suitable for measuring binge eating behaviors associated with FA rather than FA itself. The findings highlight the importance of accurately assessing discriminant validity to ensure the reliability and validity of measurement tools in clinical and research contexts.This study aimed to assess the discriminant validity of the Measure of Eating Compulsivity 10 (MEC10) and the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS2.0) in a sample of 717 inpatients with severe obesity. The MEC10 and mYFAS2.0 are commonly used tools to measure food addiction (FA) and disordered eating behaviors, respectively. Discriminant validity is crucial for ensuring that different measures of similar but distinct constructs do not correlate too highly. The study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the discriminant validity of these measures. Key findings include: - The mYFAS2.0 demonstrated excellent psychometric properties, supporting its discriminant validity with both the MEC10 and the Binge Eating Scale (BES). - The MEC10 showed moderate to high discriminant validity with the mYFAS2.0, indicating that it measures distinct constructs from the BES. - However, the MEC10 and BES had a high latent correlation (0.856), exceeding the recommended threshold for discriminant validity, suggesting potential overlap in their measurements. The study concluded that while the MEC10 has excellent psychometric properties, it is more suitable for measuring binge eating behaviors associated with FA rather than FA itself. The findings highlight the importance of accurately assessing discriminant validity to ensure the reliability and validity of measurement tools in clinical and research contexts.