Normative scores for the three factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ-R18) in a UK population-based cohort

Eating behaviour traits (EBTs), individuals' reactions to food, food-related cues, and food intake, play an important role in the development and maintenance of overweight and obesity. We provide population-based norms for cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating as measured by the Three Factor Eating questionnaire (short form, TFEQ-18) in a UK cohort of middle-aged adults (the Fenland Study). Participants included 7830 individuals recruited across Cambridgeshire General Practices; 51.8 % identified as female and participants reported a mean BMI of 26.8. Unadjusted linear regression estimated demographic (sex, age) and anthropometric (Body Mass Index, BMI) associations with each EBT to identify subgroups to derive normative scores. Percentiles of each EBT were calculated for the overall population and subgroups. Males scored lower than females on cognitive restraint (β = -7.86, 95 % CI [-8.69, -7.03], p < 0.001), uncontrolled eating (β = -1.03, 95 % CI [-1.80, -0.26], p = 0.008), and emotional eating (β = -13.13, 95 % CI [-14.28, -11.98], p < 0.001). Older age was associated with higher scores on cognitive restraint (β = 0.13, 95 % CI [0.07, 0.19], p < 0.001), and lower scores on uncontrolled eating (β = -0.34, 95 % CI [-0.39, -0.28], p < 0.001) and emotional eating (β = -0.13, 95 % CI [-0.21, -0.04], p = 0.002). Higher BMI was associated with higher emotional eating (β = 1.71, 95 % CI [1.59, 1.83], p < 0.001) and uncontrolled eating (β = 1.05, 95 % CI [0.97, 1.12], p < 0.001). BMI was not associated with cognitive restraint. Normative scores provide context for individual EBT scores and may inform development, refinement, and application of prevention strategies for overweight, obesity, and eating disorders.