Abstract
This study aimed to associate Eating Competence (EC) with food consumption and health outcomes in the Brazilian adult population. Researchers developed a questionnaire to associate EC with sociodemographic information, health outcomes, and food consumption. Data on body weight and height was referred to by participants in the questionnaire, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated and classified. A question to evaluate the perception of body size was included. After constructing the questionnaire items, content validation and semantic evaluation were performed following the Delphi method with a group of judges composed of 26 health professionals. The judges evaluated the sociodemographic information, health outcomes, and food consumption items associated with the eating competence instrument (previously validated in Brazilian-Portuguese). The final version of the questionnaire was composed of 33 items. Our results confirmed good reliability, responsiveness, and internal consistency. A total of 1810 Brazilians answered the questionnaire. Most of the participants were female, up to 40 years old, with a high education level and high income. Most of the participants did not report diabetes or hypertension. The EC total score did not differ among males and females. Individuals up to 40 years old presented a lower total score. The increase in educational level and income also increased EC total score. Excess weight individuals showed lower EC compared to the normal weight/underweight. Individuals who consumed fruits and/or vegetables five or more days/week presented the best scores for total EC.
Highlights
Eating competence (EC) is an attitudinal and behavioral concept based on The Satter EatingCompetence Model
Individuals who consumed fruits and/or vegetables five or more days/week presented the best scores for total Eating Competence (EC) and each component, different from those consuming artificial juice or soda for five or more days/week who presented the worst total scores (Table 2)
Our results showed that EC in the Brazilian population was directly proportional to education and income level
Summary
Eating competence (EC) is an attitudinal and behavioral concept based on The Satter EatingCompetence Model (ecSatter). Considering that eating is a complex process involving learned behavior, social expectations, acquired tastes, attitudes, and feelings about food and eating [1], the ecSatter model was proposed as a biopsychosocial approach to eating behavior, including four components: Eating Attitudes (having a positive, relaxed, and flexible interest in food and eating); Food Acceptance (being interested in food and having the capacity to accept and like a wide variety of foods, including new foods); Internal Regulation (being naturally attentive to the internal signals of hunger, appetite, and satiety to guide how much to eat, supporting stable body weight); and Contextual Skills (having resources to manage the food context, meal planning and the permission to eat adequate amounts of preferred food at predictable times) [1,16]
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