Effect of weight loss intervention on the association between eating behaviour measured by TFEQ-18 and dietary intake in adults

Associations between eating behaviour (cognitive restraint, emotional eating and uncontrolled eating) and dietary intake (energy, energy nutrients and fibre) were assessed in overweight or obese adults (body mass index >27 kg/m2, n = 49) before and after weight loss intervention in a randomized follow-up study lasting 18 months. Counselling was either intensive or short-term. Eating behaviour was assessed using the three-factor eating questionnaire-18 and dietary intake with 5-day food records at 0 and 18 months. The only difference in dietary intake between the groups was higher protein intake (% of energy, E%) in the short-term group at 18 months (18.7 ± 3.1 E% vs. 17.1 ± 1.7 E%). Cognitive restraint was associated with lower energy intake at 0 and 18 months (r = −0.34, r = −0.36, respectively) and higher intakes of carbohydrates (r = 0.39), sucrose (r = 0.33) and fibre (r = 0.44) and a lower intake of fat (r = −0.43) at 18 months. Those with the highest cognitive restraint at 18 months had the lowest energy and fat intake, the highest carbohydrate and fibre intake and the greatest weight loss. The results suggest that enhancing cognitive restraint could be a target for improving weight loss counselling, although further evaluation of the causal relationship would be needed in order to find the best practices for enhancing cognitive restraint.