The Eating Inventory in obese women: clinical correlates and relationship to weight loss.

OBJECTIVES

Describe the physical and psychological correlates of the Eating Inventory (EI) (also known as the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) factors in an obese sample, and determine the relationship between the three EI factors and weight loss.

DESIGN

Consecutive series of obese women enrolled between 1987 and 1996 in clinical trials of weight loss treatments.

PARTICIPANTS

223 obese women with a weight of 100.7 +/- 15.5 kg, an age of 41.4 +/- 8.8 y and a body mass index (BMI) of 37.2 +/- 5.6 kg/m2.

MEASURES

The EI and a variety of physical (weight, body composition and resting energy expenditure) and psychological (mood and binge eating) measures were assessed before and after 5-6 months of treatment.

RESULTS

Before treatment, higher restraint scores were associated with lower body weights (P = 0.02), while higher disinhibition scores were associated with greater binge eating severity (P<0.0001). Weight loss treatment was associated with significant increases in restraint and decreases in disinhibition and hunger (all Ps<0.0001). Greater increases in restraint during treatment were associated with larger weight losses (P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The three factors of the EI showed clinical utility in a sample of women receiving treatment for obesity.