The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire in the Evaluation of Eating Behaviour in Subjects Seeking Participation in a Dietotherapy Programme

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the eating behaviour in normal-weight, overweight, and obese women seeking participation in a diet-based programme of weight reduction or achievement of ideal body weight. Methods: Thirty-seven obese, 42 overweight, and 14 normal-weight subjects, seen at an Italian university outpatient clinic, were asked to complete the Stunkard and Messick three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ). The TFEQ is designed to evaluate three different factors in eating behaviour: restraint, disinhibition, and hunger. Forty-eight mothers of children attending public primary schools (25 normal weight and 23 overweight) served as controls. Results: Significantly altered scores of cognitive restraint were observed both in normal-weight and in overweight subjects of the outpatient clinic as compared with normal-weight and overweight control women. Outpatient clinic overweight women scored significantly higher in terms of disinhibition as compared with overweight control subjects. Among outpatient clinic subjects, overweight women showed higher scores of disinhibition but similar values of cognitive restraint as compared with outpatient clinic normal-weight subjects. In obese patients, the scores of disinhibition and hunger were higher than those observed in outpatient clinic normal-weight subjects, whereas values of cognitive restraint were significantly lower. As compared with outpatient clinic overweight women, obese subjects showed significantly lower values of cognitive restraint. Conclusions: Alterations in TFEQ results are a frequent feature in subjects seeking participation in programmes of weight reduction or ideal body weight achievement. This may reflect a possible impairment in eating behaviour.

Psychometric analysis of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21: results from a large diverse sample of obese and non-obese participants

“…22,28 Furthermore, a study by de Lauzon-Guillain et al 27 found that restrained eating was associated with adiposity (which included BMI measurements) in normal weight participants, but not in overweight participants. This finding was not refuted with respect to the direction of such a relationship in our studyFin the non-obese population, the association between BMI and CR was also positive (although not significant).…”

“…Several studies found a positive cross-sectional association between restrained eating and BMI, 19,20 whereas others found no significant relationships 6,21 or inverse relationships. 22,23 In this investigation, we examine the relationship between restrained eating and BMI using participants with a range of BMI, as well as clinical and non-clinical samples.…”

Food selection and eating behaviour during weight maintenance intervention and 2-y follow-up in obese men

“…Previously, changes in subscales of TFEQ have been associated with changes in weight, energy intake and success or failure of WM. High restraint, low disinhibition and low hunger scores have been associated with a more balanced diet 17 and successful WM [18][19][20][21] in women. Similar results have been observed in men, although less often studied.…”

Dietary restraint and self-regulation in eating behavior

“…Similarly, successful restraint may not result in observed differences in food intake between groups of restrained and unrestrained eaters because appetitive traits vary by individual and are associated with susceptibility to weight gain, 36,37 and hence are unlikely to be evenly distributed Dietary restraint and self-regulation F Johnson et al between these groups. The cross-sectional association between restraint and body mass index (BMI) has been examined in several studies, and positive, 38,39 negative 40,41 and null associations between restraint and BMI have been reported. However, a consistent finding has been that associations between dietary restraint and body weight vary between obese and normal weight populations.…”