The proof of the pudding is in the eating: is the DEBQ-external eating scale a valid measure of external eating?

OBJECTIVE

To test the construct validity and discriminative validity of the widely used Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire's (DEBQ) External Eating (EE) subscale.

METHOD

After being exposed to food cues or not participants completed a bogus taste test. Subjective cue reactivity during food exposure and actual food intake after food exposure were measured.

RESULTS

EE scores were unrelated to food intake. A robust main effect of food cue exposure was found but contrary to what was predicted, low EE scorers ate more after food cue exposure than without whereas high EE scorers did not. The actual eating behavior of high and low scorers on the other DEBQ subscales - emotional and restrained eating - demonstrated that the EE also lacks discriminative validity.

DISCUSSION

The EE showed no predictive validity and no discriminative validity. The usefulness of the distinction of different types of concerned eaters is questioned.