title: Exploring the Relationship between Body Composition and Eating Behavior Using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) in Young New Zealand Women.
abstract: Obesity is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, yet is preventable. This study aimed to investigate associations between body mass index, body fat percentage and obesity-related eating behaviors. Women (n = 116; 18-44 years) were measured for height, weight and body fat using air displacement plethysmography (BodPod). Women completed the validated Three Factor Eating Questionnaire to assess their eating behaviors using Restraint, Disinhibition and Hunger eating factor categories and sub-categories. The eating behavior data were analyzed for associations with body mass index and body fat percentage, and comparisons across body mass index and body fat percentage categories (< vs. ≥25 kg/m²; < vs. ≥30%, respectively). Women had a mean (standard deviation) body mass index of 23.4 (3.5) kg/m², and body fat percentage of 30.5 (7.6)%. Disinhibition was positively associated with both body mass index (p < 0.001) and body fat percentage (p < 0.001). Emotional Disinhibition was positively associated with body fat percentage (p < 0.028). Women with low Restraint and high Disinhibition had significantly higher body mass index and body fat percentage than women with high Restraint and low Disinhibition. Disinhibition seems likely to be an important contributor to obesity. Tailored intervention strategies focused on counteracting Disinhibition should be a key target area for managing weight/fat gain.
authors.affiliation: School of Food and Nutrition, College of Health, MIFST, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand. r.kruger@massey.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Rozanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kruger
authors.affiliation: School of Food and Nutrition, College of Health, MIFST, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand. jacqui.debray@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jacqui G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: De Bray
authors.affiliation: School of Food and Nutrition, College of Health, MIFST, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand. k.l.beck@massey.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.affiliation: School of Food and Nutrition, College of Health, MIFST, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand. c.conlon@massey.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Cathryn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Conlon
authors.affiliation: School of Food and Nutrition, College of Health, MIFST, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand. welma.stonehouse@csiro.au.|CSIRO, Food and Nutrition, Adelaide 5001, Australia. welma.stonehouse@csiro.au.
authors.forename: Welma
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stonehouse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009520:New Zealand; D009765:Obesity; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: New Zealand; TFEQ; body fat percentage; disinhibition; eating behavior; hunger; obesity; restraint; women