Development and Content Evaluation of the Eating Behavior and Appetite Questionnaire (EBAQ) for Individuals with Obesity.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity management medications can reduce body weight and have an impact on patients' appetite and eating behaviors. Existing patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures do not fully capture appetite and eating behavior concepts relevant to individuals living with obesity, including those receiving treatment. Here we describe the development and content evaluation of the Eating Behavior and Appetite Questionnaire (EBAQ), a new PRO measure to enable a comprehensive assessment of appetite and eating behaviors which are important to individuals living with obesity. METHODS: The EBAQ was developed on the basis of findings from a targeted literature review, findings from exit interviews with participants (N = 40) in a phase 2 trial for retatrutide (NCT04881760), and interviews with clinicians specializing in obesity medicine (N = 3). Cognitive interviews were conducted with USA-based adults with obesity or with overweight and ≥ 1 obesity-related complications (hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease) (N = 24) to evaluate the content of the EBAQ. RESULTS: All 24 cognitive interview participants reported a positive overall impression of the EBAQ and that they understood the instructions and recall period. Most participants (n = 23, 96%) found the response options to be clear and appropriate. Items in the EBAQ were considered clear and relevant by the participants. The 21-item EBAQ is a new PRO measure with three domains to evaluate eight appetite and eating behavior concepts relevant to obesity and which may change with obesity treatment. CONCLUSION: The EBAQ may be used in clinical trials, clinical practice, or observational research to evaluate the impact of obesity and the effect of obesity treatment on appetite and eating behaviors.