Loss of control over eating before and during early pregnancy among community women with overweight and obesity

• Published in: The International journal of eating disorders 2017-05, Vol.50 (5), p.582-586
• Main Authors: Kolko, Rachel P., Emery, Rebecca L., Marcus, Marsha D., Levine, Michele D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; community sample; Eating disorders; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Hyperphagia - etiology; Loss of control; Obesity; Obesity - complications; overweight; Overweight - complications; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Public Health - methods
• ISSN: 0276-3478; 1098-108X
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.22630

ABSTRACT Objective This study examined the prevalence of and changes in loss of control over eating (LOC) among pregnant women with overweight/obesity, along with associations between LOC and depressive symptoms and stress. Method Community women (N = 200; body mass index ≥ 25; 12–20 weeks gestation) reported LOC before and during early pregnancy using the Eating Disorder Examination, which was adapted for administration in pregnancy. Women self‐reported depressive symptoms and stress during early pregnancy. Results Twenty‐eight percent (n = 56) of women reported LOC before or during early pregnancy: 14.5% (n = 29) reported LOC incidence during early pregnancy, 9.5% (n = 19) reported LOC persistence from prepregnancy to early pregnancy, and 4.0% (n = 8) reported LOC prepregnancy only. Women with LOC reported more depressive symptoms and stress than did those without. Women with LOC persistence reported clinically significant depressive symptoms and elevated stress. Levels of depressive symptoms and stress differed between women with LOC persistence and those without LOC (ps