title: Association between eating behavior scores and obesity in Chilean children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inadequate eating behavior and physical inactivity contribute to the current epidemic of childhood obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the association between eating behavior scores and childhood obesity in Chilean children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 126 obese, 44 overweight and 124 normal-weight Chilean children (6-12 years-old; both genders) according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria. Eating behavior scores were calculated using the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). Factorial analysis in the culturally-adapted questionnaire for Chilean population was used to confirm the original eight-factor structure of CEBQ. The Cronbach's alpha statistic (>0.7 in most subscales) was used to assess internal consistency. Non-parametric methods were used to assess case-control associations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eating behavior scores were strongly associated with childhood obesity in Chilean children. Childhood obesity was directly associated with high scores in the subscales "enjoyment of food" (P < 0.0001), "emotional overeating" (P < 0.001) and "food responsiveness" (P < 0.0001). Food-avoidant subscales "satiety responsiveness" and "slowness in eating" were inversely associated with childhood obesity (P < 0.001). There was a graded relation between the magnitude of these eating behavior scores across groups of normal-weight, overweight and obesity groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows a strong and graded association between specific eating behavior scores and childhood obesity in Chile.
authors: Department of Nutrition, Diabetes and Metabolism, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile. jsantos@med.puc.cl
authors: José L
authors: JL
authors: Santos
authors: Judith A
authors: JA
authors: Ho-Urriola
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: González
authors: Susan V
authors: SV
authors: Smalley
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Domínguez-Vásquez
authors: Rodrigo
authors: R
authors: Cataldo
authors: Ana M
authors: AM
authors: Obregón
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Amador
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: Weisstaub
authors: M Isabel
authors: MI
authors: Hodgson
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D050177:Overweight; D012527:Satiation