Three-factor eating questionnaire and the use and liking of sweet and fat among dieters

The aim of this study was to examine whether the cognitive restraint, disinhibition and hunger factors of the three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ) can differentiate between low and high use, desired use and liking of various sugar- and fat-containing foods. A questionnaire with items on 44 foods and the TFEQ was obtained from 253 women taking part in weight reduction program. Principal component analysis was used to divide the foods into ten groups by their reported usage. The cognitive restraint factor was related to the reported use of some food groups such as fruit-based sweet foods, butter, margarine and regular-fat cheese, but not to the desired use or liking. High disinhibition and hunger scores were related to frequency of reported and desired use and to liking of several food groups (e.g., sweets, pastries served with coffee, fruit-based sweet foods, butter and margarine). Those scoring highest on cognitive restraint and lowest on disinhibition and hunger reported using all food groups less frequently than those with the lowest scores on restraint and the highest scores on disinhibition and hunger, except low-fat cheese and yogurt. These groups also differed in the desired use and liking of most sweet foods.