Dysfunctional eating behaviour, psychological well-being and adaptation to pregnancy: A study with women in the third trimester of pregnancy

Abstract

This study evaluated the prevalence and predictors of dysfunctional eating. Women in the third trimester of pregnancy participated in this study (N = 105). Dysfunctional eating was associated with a higher body mass index, enhanced negative body image, more somatic symptoms, poorer marital relationships, more negative attitudes regarding pregnancy and the baby and more emotional problems. A higher body mass index prior to the pregnancy, higher weight gain during pregnancy and a more negative perception of body image predicted dysfunctional eating. Clinicians must be aware of the presence of dysfunctional eating during pregnancy to prevent relevant physiological and psychosocial consequences during this stage.

Disordered eating and the perinatal period: A systematic review and best evidence synthesis of mental health and psychosocial correlates

“…One fair‐quality cross sectional study found that obsessive‐compulsive symptoms was positively associated with disordered eating during pregnancy above 28 weeks gestation (Mohamadirizi et al, ). Similarly, Goncalves et al () identified that increased obsessive‐compulsive symptoms were positively associated with disordered eating in the third trimester of pregnancy. There were no studies that examined obsessive‐compulsive symptoms during the post‐partum period.…”

“…Again, only one study examined direction of association with disordered eating during the first/second trimester of pregnancy, positively predicting increased anxiety during the third trimester of pregnancy (Easter et al, ). Two fair‐quality cross sectional studies also supported an association between anxiety and disordered eating during the third trimester of pregnancy (Goncalves et al, ) and at 16 and 36 weeks gestation (Soares et al, ).…”

“…There was a strong level of evidence for the association between disordered eating and depressive symptoms during pregnancy, as two high‐quality cohort studies (Easter et al, ; Micali et al, ) and two fair‐quality cross sectional studies supported an association (Goncalves et al, ; Kolko et al, ). There was not enough evidence to determine a direction of association as only one study demonstrated that disordered eating during the first/second trimester predicted depressive symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy (Easter et al, ).…”

“…Alternatively, in the same cohort, there was no association between relationship satisfaction and the continuation of bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder from 6 months prior to pregnancy to 17 weeks gestation (Watson et al, ). One fair‐quality cross sectional study identified that decreased relationship quality was associated with an increase in disordered eating during the third trimester of pregnancy (Goncalves et al, ). However, another fair‐quality cross sectional study did not demonstrate an association between spousal support and disordered eating during pregnancy (Lai et al, ).…”

Psychosocial stress and longitudinally measured gestational weight gain throughout pregnancy: The Ulm SPATZ Health Study

“…Additionally, stress and related constructs appear to alter overall energy intake through under-or overeating, depending on the nature of the stressor, its severity as well as an individual predisposition 7 . In a cross-sectional study in pregnant women, emotional problems and negative attitudes towards the baby were related to dietary behavior, as was the pre-pregnancy body mass index 8 . Apart from stress, a meta-analysis suggests that depression is linked to weight and weight gain in a bidirectional manner 9 .…”