Restrained and external-emotional eating patterns in young overweight children-results of the ulm birth cohort study

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hirsch, O., Kluckner, V., Brandt, S., Moss, A., Weck, M., Florath, Ines, Wabitsch, M., Hebebrand, J., Schimmelmann, B., Christiansen, H.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2014
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38482
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Summary: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 (? <sup>2</sup>(8) = 79.29, p<.001). The EPI-C is a valid assessment tool in this young age group. Overweight children consciously restrain their eating. © 2014 Hirsch et al.