Prevalence and related factors of eating disorders in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Preconception weight suppression predicts eating disorder symptoms in pregnancy

“…Contrary to our a priori hypotheses and much of the previous literature, preconception WS was associated with endorsement of restrictive eating behaviours, rather than LOC and binge eating frequency. Recent evidence suggests that while pregnancy indeed appears to be a window of vulnerability for binge eating, prevalence of anorexia nervosa also increases during gestation (Ozturk & Ouyaba, 2023). Even though the associations between WS and binge and LOC eating have been a primary focus of the current literature, there is also data to suggest that WS is predictive of a wide range of disordered eating symptoms across diagnostic categories (Lavender et al., 2015).…”

“…The age ranges for the typical development of eating disorders and for reproductive function overlap and disordered eating is common in pregnant individuals, with estimated prevalence rates for all eating disorders in the perinatal period of around 5% (Bye et al., 2021; Cardwell, 2013; Ozturk & Ouyaba, 2023). Though symptoms appear to improve in some, in others, the significant physical changes that occur during pregnancy can cause an increase in shape and weight concern and worsening of eating disorder symptomology (Crow et al., 2008; Easter et al., 2013; Kimmel et al., 2016; Ward & Waller, 2008).…”

“…Pregnancy appears to be a window of vulnerability specifically for anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder, whereas prevalence of bulimia nervosa seems to decrease during gestation (Easter et al., 2013; Ozturk & Ouyaba, 2023; Watson et al., 2013). Women with pre‐pregnancy body mass indices in the ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’ ranges have been shown to be especially susceptible to loss of control (LOC) eating during gestation, with an estimated quarter engaging in this behaviour in pregnancy (Kolko et al., 2017; Levine et al., 2023).…”

“…Women with pre‐pregnancy body mass indices in the ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’ ranges have been shown to be especially susceptible to loss of control (LOC) eating during gestation, with an estimated quarter engaging in this behaviour in pregnancy (Kolko et al., 2017; Levine et al., 2023). Other psychosocial variables that have been linked to an increased risk of disordered eating behaviours in pregnancy include a history of anxiety and depression and older (i.e., >30 years) age (Berg et al., 2011; Ozturk & Ouyaba, 2023).…”