Abstract
BACKGROUND: Eating behavior critically impacts human health and the development of obesity. This study aimed to validate the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ) among Chinese university students and explore the relationship between appetitive traits and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: A total of 546 students from Southeast University completed the Chinese version of the AEBQ and self-reported anthropometric data. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the factor structure and evaluate model fit, and Spearman's correlation assessed relationships between appetitive traits and BMI. RESULTS: The original 8-factor, 35-item model showed a good fit, which improved further after removing the Hunger subscale. All subscales demonstrated strong reliability (α and ω > 0.70). Females exhibited higher scores in Enjoyment of Food, Emotional Over-eating, Food Responsiveness, and Satiety Responsiveness than males (p < 0.05). Food approach traits (except for Hunger) were positively correlated with BMI (p < 0.05), whereas food avoidance traits (except for Food Fussiness) were negatively correlated (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The AEBQ is a reliable and valid psychological measurement for assessing appetitive traits in Chinese adults and conducting large-scale studies. Interventions targeting appetite traits provide new insights into weight management and obesity prevention.