Associations among eating behaviour traits, diet quality and food labelling: a mediation model

Objective: To assess the associations among eating behaviour traits, food label use and diet quality and to evaluate if the association between eating behaviour traits and diet quality is mediated by food label use. Design: Eating behaviour traits were assessed using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), the Restraint Scale and the Intuitive Eating Scale, whereas food label use was measured with the Label Reading Survey. Diet quality (Canadian Healthy Eating Index) was assessed with an FFQ. Setting: Cross-sectional study. Participants: Adults (n 385; mean (sd): BMI = 26 center dot 0 (4 center dot 9) kg/m(2), age = 41 center dot 1 (15 center dot 0) years) involved in two previous experimental studies. Results: When controlling for potential covariates, general food label use (beta = 1 center dot 18 (se 0 center dot 26), P < 0 center dot 0001) was the main determinant of diet quality, explaining 6 center dot 7 % of its variance. General food label use partly mediated the association between TFEQ-cognitive restraint and diet quality; the indirect effect (beta(indirect) (se); 95 % CI) was stronger in men (0 center dot 32 (0 center dot 10); 0 center dot 15, 0 center dot 55) than women (0 center dot 16 (0 center dot 05); 0 center dot 08, 0 center dot 27). General food label use also partly mediated the negative association between unconditional permission to eat and diet quality; the indirect effect (beta(indirect) (se); 95 % CI) was also stronger in men (-1 center dot 88 (0 center dot 55); -3 center dot 11, -0 center dot 96) than women (-1 center dot 03 (0 center dot 33); -1 center dot 81, -0 center dot 49). Conclusions: General food label use was the main determinant of diet quality and partly mediated the association between eating behaviour traits and diet quality. The stronger mediating effect observed in men suggests they rely more on food labelling when attempting to restrained themselves, which translates into better diet quality.