PLoS ONE (Jan 2014)

Restrained and external-emotional eating patterns in young overweight children-results of the Ulm Birth Cohort Study.

  • Oliver Hirsch,
  • Viktoria J Kluckner,
  • Stephanie Brandt,
  • Anja Moss,
  • Melanie Weck,
  • Ines Florath,
  • Martin Wabitsch,
  • Johannes Hebebrand,
  • Benno G Schimmelmann,
  • Hanna Christiansen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0105303
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 8
p. e105303

Abstract

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Childhood obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges in Western countries. Abnormal eating behavior is thought to be a developmental trajectory to obesity. The Eating Pattern Inventory for Children (EPI-C) has not been used for children as young as eight years, and possible associations with body weight have not yet been established. Five hundred and twenty-one children of the Ulm Birth Cohort Study (UBCS; age eight) filled out the EPI-C and BMI was assessed. Adequacy of the scales was tested with confirmatory factor analysis and a MANOVA and cluster analysis established associations between eating patterns and BMI. The factor structure of the EPI-C was confirmed (GFI = .968) and abnormal eating behavior was associated with overweight (χ(2)(8) =79.29, p<.001). The EPI-C is a valid assessment tool in this young age group. Overweight children consciously restrain their eating.