The impact of pregnancy on eating habits and attitudes to shape and weight

Fifty primigravidae were interviewed within 3 days of giving birth about their eating habits and attitudes to shape and weight during pregnancy. Dieting was not found to be common, whereas a quarter reported episodes of bulimia which in some cases were associated with excessive weight gain. This phenomenon was largely confined to those who had dieted in the past. The past dieters also differed from the remainder in their response to the changes in shape and weight. In addition, their plans differed: of those who intended to diet following pregnancy, the majority had dieted in the past. The findings of this study suggest that women who have previously been concerend about their shape, weight, and eating respond differently to being pregnant from those who have not had such concerns and that these differences may be of medical and psychiatric significance. Copyright © 1990 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company