Appetitive behaviours and the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire

Previous research suggests that dietary restraint and disinhibition measures from the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) predict individual differences in appetite-related behaviours. This study explored the hypothesis that TFEQ-disinhibition predicted the tendency to over-consume in a snack context. Sixty women classified as low or high restraint (LR vs. HR) and with low or high disinhibition (LD vs. HD) rated hunger and fullness before, and 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after, a standard breakfast (410 kcal). They were then exposed to four snack foods for 15 min (chocolate, mini cheddars, grapes, and peanuts), disguised as a taste evaluation test, and intake was calculated. HD participants consumed significantly more compared to LD [1907.4 kJ vs. 1400.3 kJ: F(1, 58)=6.74, p=0.012], but snack intake was unaffected by TFEQ-restraint (no significant main effect or interaction involving TFEQ-restraint). HR participants gave significantly lower post-breakfast hunger ratings compared to LR participants [F(1, 58)=5.40, p=0.024] while TFEQ-disinhibition did not factor in differences in appetite ratings. In normal weight women, these findings support the idea that scores on the TFEQ-disinhibition scale are a stronger predictor of tendency to overeat than are TFEQ-restraint, and further suggest that breakfast suppresses appetite more effectively in restrained than unrestrained women.