Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ)

1. Background & Research

The CEBQ was developed by Wardle and colleagues (Wardle et al., 2001) to systematically measure children’s eating styles. It’s widely used in both research and clinical settings to identify traits that might influence obesity risk, disordered eating, or general feeding challenges.

For official copies of the CEBQ, scoring guidelines, and validation studies:

• University College London (UCL): UCL Eating Behaviour Questionnaires
• PhenX Toolkit (NCCOR): Detailed protocols for the CEBQ
• IJBNPA Study: Validation of the Food Fussiness subscale

2. Subscales & Interpretation

The CEBQ comprises 35 items divided into eight subscales. A higher subscale score indicates “more” of that behavior; a lower score indicates “less.” Neither is inherently good or bad—context matters. Below is an overview of each subscale:

• Food Responsiveness (FR)
  High Score: Frequently asks for food, highly influenced by food cues (sight/smell).
  Low Score: Shows less interest in food cues, not as “food-focused.”
• Enjoyment of Food (EF)
  High Score: Genuinely enjoys eating and mealtimes, often open to trying new foods.
  Low Score: Derives little pleasure from eating, may eat only out of hunger/necessity.
• Emotional Overeating (EOE)
  High Score: Eats more when distressed (sad, angry, stressed).
  Low Score: Less likely to turn to food during negative emotions, possibly using other coping strategies.
• Desire to Drink (DD)
  High Score: Frequently requests drinks, especially sugary beverages, beyond normal thirst.
  Low Score: Minimal requests for drinks outside basic thirst, likely prefers water or drinks only when needed.
• Satiety Responsiveness (SR)
  High Score: Notices fullness cues easily and stops eating sooner (protective against overeating).
  Low Score: May not respond to fullness; could be at risk for overeating, especially if combined with fast eating.
• Slowness in Eating (SE)
  High Score: Eats slowly or leisurely, potentially taking a long time to finish meals.
  Low Score: Eats faster, finishes meals quickly, which may or may not be a concern depending on other factors (e.g., SR).
• Emotional Undereating (EUE)
  High Score: Reduced intake during negative emotions (upset, anxious).
  Low Score: Emotional distress does not significantly affect intake; child tends to maintain usual eating pattern.
• Food Fussiness (FF)
  High Score: Picky eating, reluctance to try new foods, strong preferences for certain tastes/textures.
  Low Score: More accepting and flexible with various foods, less selective about taste or texture.

Example of Score Output

Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) Results
Date: N/A

Subscale Scores:
----------------
Food Responsiveness (FR): 6
Enjoyment of Food (EF):   6
Emotional Overeating (EOE): 4
Desire to Drink (DD):     10
Satiety Responsiveness (SR): 19
Slowness in Eating (SE):  16
Emotional Undereating (EUE): 11
Food Fussiness (FF):      24

Interpretation Tips:
- FR: Higher = more responsive to food cues.
- EF: Higher = greater enjoyment of food.
- EOE: Higher = eats more under negative emotions.
- DD: Higher = strong desire for drinks (often sugary).
- SR: Higher = easily notices fullness and stops eating.
- SE: Higher = slow, leisurely pace of eating.
- EUE: Higher = reduced intake when emotionally upset.
- FF: Higher = fussier, more picky about foods.

Parents and clinicians often compare subscale scores to normative data or look for unusually high/low areas that might call for specific interventions.

3. Practical Implications & Best Practices

Below are general recommendations depending on subscale patterns. While “high” often indicates greater expression of a behavior, sometimes low scores may also warrant attention. Always consider the child’s overall dietary habits, emotional well-being, and growth.

• Food Responsiveness (FR): High: Structure meal/snack times, limit constant grazing, teach internal hunger cues.
  Low: Child may be indifferent to external cues—monitor if they also have low Enjoyment of Food (EF).
• Enjoyment of Food (EF): High: Encourage trying new dishes to leverage enthusiasm.
  Low: Offer fun, non-pressured exposure, involve the child in meal prep to spark interest.
• Emotional Overeating (EOE): High: Provide non-food coping strategies for stress (art, conversation, physical activity).
  Low: Monitor whether the child expresses emotions in a healthy way—some might internalize stress instead.
• Desire to Drink (DD): High: Limit sweet beverages, promote water, keep sugary drinks as occasional treats.
  Low: Likely drinks only out of thirst; be sure hydration is adequate, especially during sports/heat.
• Satiety Responsiveness (SR): High: Typically positive, but ensure nutrient-dense meals if the child fills up quickly.
  Low: Child may ignore fullness cues—set portion sizes, encourage mindful eating.
• Slowness in Eating (SE): High: Allow enough mealtime; if extremely slow, consider sensory or motor issues.
  Low: Child may eat very quickly—encourage pacing, check if they miss fullness signals (low SR).
• Emotional Undereating (EUE): High: Check if emotional distress causes frequent meal skipping, address stressors compassionately.
  Low: Child’s intake not impacted by mood changes, but ensure healthy emotion regulation in other ways.
• Food Fussiness (FF): High: Use repeated gentle exposure, serve “safe foods” alongside new items, keep mealtimes calm.
  Low: Child is flexible with food choices—build on this openness to maintain a balanced diet.

If extreme scores appear across multiple areas or if there are concerns about growth or emotional health, consider consulting a pediatrician, dietitian, or feeding therapist.

4. Next Steps & Further Reading

• Division of Responsibility in Feeding: Ellyn Satter Institute
• Picky Eating Strategies: Kids Eat in Color, HealthyChildren.org

For a short summary of these subscales and general CEBQ interpretation, visit our Simple Explanation Page.