The Assessment of Eating Behaviour in Children Who Are Obese: A Psychological Approach. A Position Paper from the European Childhood Obesity Group

Abstract

Objective: This paper introduces health professionals to the different psychological models thought to influence eating behaviour in the absence of hunger in children who are obese and to propose a method of assessing these behaviours in practice. Methods: Clinical researchers from the European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) adopted an evidence-based approach to examine the literature concerning the assessment of eating behaviour in children who are obese. Studies published in English were filtered out of the medical and psychological literature from 1960 to the present, and the resulting bibliography was searched for relevant articles. Key themes from the current evidence were compiled and classified according to the underpinning psychological models. Based on the current evidence and the authors' combined clinical experience, a three-staged approach to assessment was agreed by consensus. Results: Valid and reliable tools for assessing and monitoring each of the three identified models (Dietary Restraint Theory, Emotional Eating and the Diathesis-Stress Model) are suggested for use in clinical practice, and the ECOG three-staged approach to assessing eating behaviours in the absence of hunger is described. Conclusions: This paper presents practical guidance on how to assess eating behaviour in the absence of hunger in children who are clinically obese and suggests a focus for future research.

Eating‐related Psychopathology and Food Addiction in Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

“…Little is known about the frequency of food addiction and its relationship with psychiatric disorders and eating behaviour in children and adolescents. Although there is a substantial amount of literature on the association between obesity, non‐normative eating behaviour (Braet et al, ) and psychiatric disorders (Kalarchian & Marcus, ) in children and adolescents, only few studies investigated addictive‐like eating in this population (Gearhardt, Roberto, Seamans, Corbin & Brownell, ; Laurent & Sibold, ; Merlo, Klingman, Malasanos & Silverstein, ; Meule, Hermann & Kubler, ; Pretlow, ). These studies indicate that addictive‐like eating behaviour also exists during childhood and adolescence.…”

Atypical Eating Behaviors Identified in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Aged 3 to 5 Years, Using the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire in a Caregiver-Reported Online Survey

“…Since a child needs to eat properly to grow up, learn, and interact socially with others, it is important to define abnormal eating behaviors in children to ensure adequate nutrition and proper weight [19]. Assessment instruments, such as the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), are available to characterize atypical eating behaviors in young children [20][21][22]. Many studies have used caregiver-reported questionnaires as a method of data collection regarding children [23,24].…”

The relative importance of social anxiety facets on disordered eating in pediatric obesity

“…This raises concern for youth with obesity, as full- and sub-threshold EDs are associated with serious medical complications, psychiatric comorbidities, and elevated mortality rates [6], which may further increase morbidity in this population. As noted by the European Childhood Obesity Group, eating behaviors in youth with obesity are complex, and many weight management approaches have not been designed to prevent or treat disordered eating within the context of pediatric obesity [7]. Considering findings that suggest youth with obesity are more likely to endorse disordered eating attitudes and behaviors than youth without obesity [8, 9], research must identify risk factors for disordered eating in pediatric obesity populations.…”