Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ)

Subscales & Interpretation

Each subscale reflects a specific behavior or tendency in a child's eating style. A “high” score indicates *more* of that behavior, while a “low” score indicates *less* of it. Neither high nor low is inherently “good” or “bad”; context and balance matter.

• Food Responsiveness (FR)
  High Score: Child is highly influenced by food cues (e.g., frequently asking for or wanting food).
  Low Score: Child shows less interest in or fewer requests for food based on external cues. May be more indifferent to food ads or seeing others eat.
• Enjoyment of Food (EF)
  High Score: Child genuinely enjoys eating and mealtimes.
  Low Score: Child does not derive much pleasure from eating, possibly eating only when hungry or out of necessity.
• Emotional Overeating (EOE)
  High Score: Tends to eat more in response to negative emotions (sadness, anger, stress).
  Low Score: Unlikely to consume extra food when upset; may use other coping mechanisms (talking, quiet time, etc.).
• Desire to Drink (DD)
  High Score: Frequently requests drinks, often sugary beverages, beyond normal thirst.
  Low Score: Makes fewer requests for drinks; likely sticks to water or drinks only when genuinely thirsty.
• Satiety Responsiveness (SR)
  High Score: Notices fullness cues easily and stops eating (protective against overeating).
  Low Score: May not recognize or respond promptly to feeling full, potentially eating past fullness.
• Slowness in Eating (SE)
  High Score: Eats slowly or at a leisurely pace, sometimes taking a long time to finish meals.
  Low Score: Eats faster and finishes meals quickly. Can be normal unless combined with other risk factors like low SR.
• Emotional Undereating (EUE)
  High Score: Child eats less (or avoids food) when upset, anxious, or stressed.
  Low Score: Emotional distress does not significantly reduce intake; child continues a typical eating pattern.
• Food Fussiness (FF)
  High Score: Picky or fussy eating, rejecting certain or novel foods more frequently.
  Low Score: More open and flexible with different foods; less selective about taste, texture, or appearance.

Important Note: Scores often interact. For example, a child with low Satiety Responsiveness and low Slowness in Eating might eat quickly and not register fullness, potentially overeating. Conversely, a child with low Food Fussiness but low Enjoyment of Food may still not eat a variety if they find little pleasure in mealtimes.

If any subscale scores (high or low) raise concerns about nutritional adequacy or emotional well-being, consider consulting a pediatrician, dietitian, or feeding specialist for a more in-depth evaluation.

Example Results

Sample Scores:

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: A higher score indicates “more” of that behavior (e.g., a high Food Fussiness (FF) = more picky). A lower score indicates “less” of that behavior (e.g., low Emotional Overeating (EOE) = unlikely to eat more when upset).

Need More Detail?

If you want an in-depth explanation of these subscales, related research, and best practices, please visit our Detailed Explanation Page.