Eating competence change in web‐based non‐dieting curriculum appears gender‐specific

The ecSatter Inventory (ecSI), a validated survey with 4 subscales, assessed change in eating competence (EC) following university student (N=133, mean age 19.6 ± 1.2 y) participation in a 10‐lesson web‐based curriculum that utilized a non‐dieting approach to weight management. 4 of the 10 lessons focused on EC constructs related to eating enjoyment, food acceptance (FA), internal regulation (IR) and food contextual skills (CS). EC responses were gender‐specific. For males (N=45), a decrease in eating enjoyment was the only significant change (P=.04). Females (N=88) significantly increased total ecSI score (P=.04) and FA (P=.001); CS tended to increase (P=.07). At baseline, females scored significantly lower than males for total score (29.3 ± 7 vs 34.6 ± 7.1; P<.001), eating enjoyment (10.0±3.4 vs 12.5±2.5; P<.001), FA (4.9 ±2.5 vs 6.0 ±2.5; P=.025), and IR (6.3±1.8 vs 7.4±1.6; P=.001). Following intervention, only eating enjoyment remained significantly lower for females compared to males (10.1±3.6 vs 11.6±2.9; P=.018). EC changes following the intervention were compared between males and females; male EC deteriorated with trends toward or significant decreases in total ecSI score (−.95 vs +1.5; P=.058) and eating enjoyment (−.84 vs +.24; P=.049). Body mass index remained unchanged and unrelated to ecSI scores or gender. Further research is needed to ensure that gender is not masking impact as a result of intervention‐driven cogitation affecting perceived competence upon transitioning from a pre‐contemplative stage in EC. Supported by NRI, USDA CSREES, grant #2005‐ 35215‐15412, PSU Dept Nutritional Sciences