Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ)

Abstract

The Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) is a widely recognized and validated psychometric instrument designed to assess individual differences in children’s eating behaviour patterns. Developed as a parent-report measure, the CEBQ consists of 35 items rated on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from “Never” to “Always.” The scale is structured around eight distinct factors related to food approach and food avoidance. This instrument is essential for research investigating the early precursors of childhood obesity and eating disorders.

Keywords

Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, CEBQ, Eating Styles, Food Responsiveness, Emotional Eating, Children, Paediatric Assessment, Obesity Risk.

Authors

Wardle, Guthrie, Sanderson, & Rapoport

Purpose

The primary purpose of the CEBQ is to systematically measure various behavioral dimensions of eating styles in young children. By quantifying these individual differences, the scale helps researchers and clinicians identify behavioral phenotypes that may predispose a child toward weight gain or disordered eating patterns.

The instrument provides a detailed profile of a child’s relationship with food, which is crucial for understanding the complex interplay between temperament, environment, and the development of weight problems in both childhood and adulthood.

Construct

The CEBQ measures eight empirically derived constructs related to eating behavior, which are broadly categorized into “Food Approach” and “Food Avoidance” dimensions.

• Food Approach Scales: These scales measure a child’s drive to eat, often in response to internal or external cues. These include: Food responsiveness, Emotional over-eating, Enjoyment of food, and Desire to drink.
• Food Avoidance Scales: These scales measure behaviors indicative of reduced appetite or rejection of food. These include: Satiety responsiveness, Slowness in eating, Emotional under-eating, and Food fussiness.

Validity

The validity of the CEBQ has been comprehensively evaluated in several key studies, notably by Wardle and colleagues (2001) and Carnell and Wardle (2007). These studies established strong construct validity, confirming that the eight subscales measure distinct, hypothesized dimensions of eating behavior.

Furthermore, the CEBQ demonstrates significant criterion validity, as scores on specific subscales (such as Food Responsiveness and Emotional Over-eating) are consistently correlated with children’s body mass index (BMI) and future weight trajectories, making it a valuable predictive tool for obesity susceptibility.

Reliability

Initial development of the instrument included rigorous testing of its psychometric properties, demonstrating high internal consistency (reliability) for all eight scales within the original standardization samples. Subsequent cross-cultural adaptations and longitudinal research have consistently supported the reliability of the CEBQ across diverse populations and age groups, ensuring its utility in various research settings.

Factor Analysis

The underlying structure of the CEBQ was established using factor analytic techniques, which resulted in the definitive eight-factor model. This model effectively distinguishes between different aspects of eating behavior, demonstrating that behavioral components such as Food fussiness and Satiety responsiveness are empirically separable from approach behaviors like Enjoyment of food and Food responsiveness. This robust factor structure allows for nuanced assessment of a child’s specific eating profile.

Instrument

Test Type: Parent-report questionnaire

Format: 35 items, scored on a five-point Likert scale (1=Never to 5=Always)

Language Available: Originally English, widely translated and validated in numerous languages globally.

Population Group: Children

Age Group: Typically used for young children (toddlerhood through mid-childhood).

Population Details: Designed for use with typically developing children; also applicable in clinical research concerning weight management and feeding difficulties.

Test Methodology: The parent or primary caregiver completes the questionnaire by rating the frequency of specific eating behaviors exhibited by the child.

Keywords

Child Psychology, Paediatric Health, Appetite, Behavioral Assessment, Emotional Eating, Food Approach, Food Avoidance, Development, Weight.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 2001

Permissions and Fee: While the instrument is widely used in academic research, users should consult the primary author, Jane Wardle, or the relevant publishing journal for specific permissions regarding commercial or widespread clinical use.

Reference’s

Wardle, J., Guthrie, C. A., Sanderson, S., & Rapoport, L. (2001). Development of the children’s eating behaviour questionnaire. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42, 963-970.

Carnell, S., & Wardle, J. (2007). Measuring behavioural susceptibility to obesity: Validation of the child eating behaviour questionnaire. Appetite, 48, 104-113.

The original scoring guide document can be accessed here: Child Eating Behaviour Question (with scoring)

Items of the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Please read the following statements and tick the boxes most appropriate to your child’s eating behaviour.

	Never	Rarely	Some-times	Often	Always
My child loves food
My child eats more when worried
My child has a big appetite
My child finishes his/her meal quickly
My child is interested in food
My child is always asking for a drink
My child refuses new foods at first
My child eats slowly
My child eats less when angry
My child enjoys tasting new foods
My child eats less when s/he is tired
My child is always asking for food
My child eats more when annoyed
If allowed to, my child would eat too much
My child eats more when anxious
My child enjoys a wide variety of foods
My child leaves food on his/her plate at the end of a meal
My child takes more than 30 minutes to finish a meal

	Never	Rarely	Some-times	Often	Always
Given the choice, my child would eat most of the time
My child looks forward to mealtimes
My child gets full before his/her meal is finished
My child enjoys eating
My child eats more when she is happy
My child is difficult to please with meals
My child eats less when upset
My child gets full up easily
My child eats more when s/he has nothing else to do
Even if my child is full up s/he finds room to eat his/her favourite food
If given the chance, my child would drink continuously throughout the day
My child cannot eat a meal if s/he has had a snack just before
If given the chance, my child would always be having a drink
My child is interested in tasting food s/he hasn’t tasted before
My child decides that s/he doesn’t like a food, even without tasting it
If given the chance, my child would always have food in his/her mouth
My child eats more and more slowly during the course of a meal

 

 

Scoring of the CEBQ

The original scoring guide document can be downloaded here: cebqwithscores

(Never=1, Rarely=2, Sometimes=3, Often=4, Always=5)

Food responsiveness = item mean FR

Emotional over-eating = item mean EOE

Enjoyment of food = item mean EF

Desire to drink = item mean DD

Satiety responsiveness = item mean SR

Slowness in eating = item mean SE

Emotional under-eating = item mean EUE

Food fussiness = item mean FF

*Reversed items apply to certain subscales, which must be accounted for in calculation.

Note on Scoring: There is an error in the original 2001 paper concerning the scoring of the CEBQ, which was cited as 0-4. In fact, responses were scored 1-5, and the means and standard deviations provided in the tables of that paper reflect the 1-5 scoring range.