title: Psychometric analysis of an eating behaviour questionnaire for an overweight and obese Chinese population in Singapore.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies reveal that the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), which assesses eating behaviour, performs differently across population groups and cultures. We aimed to identify the factor structure that is most appropriate to capture eating behaviour in an overweight and obese Chinese population in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  TFEQ-51 was administered to 444 Chinese subjects pooled from four separate studies and scored according to various alternative versions of the TFEQ. Confirmatory factor analyses and goodness of fit indices were used to determine the most appropriate factor structure. Known-group validity analyses were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Niemeier's Disinhibition Factors and the TFEQ-R18 factor structures were found to be the most applicable in our population based on goodness of fit indices, with a x(2)/df ratio of <3, RMSEA of ≤ 0.6 and a CFI value of >0.9 for both. Only two of three factors (Emotional Eating and Uncontrolled Eating) of the TFEQ-R18 showed good internal consistency, while none of Niemeier's Disinhibition Factors showed good internal consistency. Known-group validity showed that Emotional Eating and Internal Disinhibition were significantly associated with higher BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that the TFEQ-R18 factor structure is the most appropriate and practical for use in measuring eating behaviour in an overweight and obese Chinese population in Singapore.
authors.affiliation: Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore. Electronic address: mary_chong@sics.a-star.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Mary Foong-Fong
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore.
authors.forename: M Na'im M
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ayob
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Kok Joon
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: E-Shyong
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Chin Meng
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Khoo
authors.affiliation: Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore; Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore; Department of Endocrinology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Melvin Khee-Shing
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Leow
authors.affiliation: Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore; Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yung Seng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore; Obesity Unit, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Kwang Wei
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Tham
authors.affiliation: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venkataraman
authors.affiliation: Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Meaney
authors.affiliation: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hwee Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Eric Yin-Hao
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Khoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D012846:Singapore; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Chinese; Eating behaviours; Obesity; Overweight; Three-factor eating questionnaire