The Adult Eating Behaviour Questionnaire in a bariatric surgery‐seeking sample: Factor structure, convergent validity, and associations with BMI

Abstract

The aim of this study was to validate the Adult Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (AEBQ), a measure of food approach and avoidant traits, for use in bariatric surgery candidates. Participants were 337 bariatric surgery candidates in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested that one item did not load onto its original factor. A 34-item, eight-factor model had better fit than a seven-factor model; dropping the Hunger factor, as previously suggested, did not improve fit. The factors had good internal consistency and showed convergent/divergent validity with an existing measure of food approach traits. The emotional overeating scale was positively correlated with BMI at programme entry, whereas the slow eating scale was negatively correlated with baseline weight. The AEBQ scales had the same pattern of intercorrelations and similar means to those of two previously published samples. The AEBQ is a valid measure of appetitive traits in bariatric candidates.

Appetitive Traits in a Population-Based Study of Polish Adolescents within the PLACE-19 Study: Validation of the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire

“…Hunot-Alexander et al [ 12 ] also presented similar observations associated with correlations between appetitive traits assessed by the AEBQ, as well as differences between female and male respondents, and in this study, all of the food approach subscales were positively inter-correlated. In the study of Zickgraf and Rigby [ 16 ], no significant sex-dependent differences were observed for other subscales. However, it is not surprising that observations are inconsistent, as the abovementioned study of Zickgraf and Rigby [ 16 ] was conducted in a mixed sample of adolescents and adults, who were defined as patients pursuing bariatric surgery.…”

“…In the study of Zickgraf and Rigby [ 16 ], no significant sex-dependent differences were observed for other subscales. However, it is not surprising that observations are inconsistent, as the abovementioned study of Zickgraf and Rigby [ 16 ] was conducted in a mixed sample of adolescents and adults, who were defined as patients pursuing bariatric surgery.…”

“…Appetitive traits have been shown to be influenced by sex, as has been observed in both adults [ 16 ] and children [ 17 ]. This may be associated with the fact that females differ from males in appetitive traits that might make them more susceptible to eating in response to external food cues or less susceptible to feedback from internal satiety cues [ 18 ].…”

Classifying and characterizing Chinese young adults reporting picky eating: A latent profile analysis

“…In the current study, the Chinese version of the AEBQ (He, Sun, et al, ) was used. Previous studies indicate that the both the English and Chinese versions of the AEBQ are psychometrically sound (He, Sun, et al, ; Hunot et al, ; Mallan et al, ; Zickgraf & Rigby, ). Consistent with prior research (Ellis, Galloway, et al, ; Tharner et al, ), the following subscales were used: Food Responsiveness, Enjoyment of Food, Satiety Responsiveness, Food Fussiness, and Slowness in Eating.…”

“…“Picky” eating (PE) is characterized by avoidance of foods due to aversions to their sensory properties, including new foods (food neophobia), foods that are familiar but nonpreferred, and preferred foods based on seemingly minor variations in their preparation and/or presentation (Dovey, Staples, Gibson, & Halford, ; Taylor, Northstone, Wernimont, & Emmett, ; Wildes, Zucker, & Marcus, ; Zickgraf & Schepps, ). PE is associated with reduced dietary variety, and in extreme cases, imbalanced or inadequate diets (e.g., Kauer, Pelchat, Rozin, & Zickgraf, ; Zickgraf & Rigby, ). Picky eating behaviors, varying from mild to severe, are common across the lifespan.…”