Eating Behavior and Obesity in a Sample of Spanish Schoolchildren

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2023-02, Vol.20 (5), p.4186
• Main Authors: Calderón García, Andrea, Alaminos-Torres, Ana, Pedrero Tomé, Roberto, Prado Martínez, Consuelo, Martínez Álvarez, Jesús Román, Villarino Marín, Antonio, Marrodán Serrano, María Dolores
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Adipose tissue; Analysis; Behavior; Beverages; Body composition; Body fat; Body mass; Body Mass Index; Body size; Child; Child Behavior - psychology; Children & youth; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Eating; Eating - psychology; Eating behavior; Education; Elementary school students; Families & family life; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Food; Food habits; Food intake; Humans; Nutritional status; Obesity; Obesity - prevention & control; Overweight; Parents & parenting; Pediatric Obesity - psychology; Phenotypes; Questionnaires; Satiety; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054186

From the point of view of prevention, it is convenient to explore the association between eating behavior and the obese phenotype during school and adolescent age. The aim of the present study was to identify eating behavior patterns associated with nutritional status in Spanish schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study of 283 boys and girls (aged 6 to 16 years) was carried out. The sample was evaluated anthropometrically by Body Mass Index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and body fat percentage (%BF). Eating behavior was analyzed using the CEBQ "Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire". The subscales of the CEBQ were significantly associated with BMI, WHtR and %BF. Pro-intake subscales (enjoyment of food, food responsiveness, emotional overeating, desire for drinks) were positively related to excess weight by BMI (β = 0.812 to 0.869; 0.002 to