Food insecurity during pregnancy leads to stress, disordered eating, and greater postpartum weight among overweight women

Objective To investigate the influence of food insecurity on women's stress, disordered eating, dietary fat intake, and weight during the postpartum period. Methods The association between marginal food security and food insecurity—measured during pregnancy and postpartum—and stress, disordered...

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Published in:Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Md.), 2015-06, Vol.23 (6), p.1303-1311
Main Authors: Laraia, Barbara, Vinikoor‐Imler, Lisa C., Siega‐Riz, Anna Maria
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Depression, Postpartum - psychology
Feeding Behavior - psychology
Female
Humans
Obesity
Older people
Overweight - complications
Overweight - psychology
Postpartum Period - psychology
Pregnancy
Risk Factors
Studies
United States
Weight control
Womens health
Young Adult
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Summary:Objective To investigate the influence of food insecurity on women's stress, disordered eating, dietary fat intake, and weight during the postpartum period. Methods The association between marginal food security and food insecurity—measured during pregnancy and postpartum—and stress, disordered eating, dietary fat intake, and weight at 3 and 12 months postpartum was estimated using multivariate linear regression, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and health behaviors. Effect modification between level of food insecurity and prepregnancy weight status was assessed, hypothesizing a stronger association would be found among women who started pregnancy with overweight or obesity. Results Food insecurity status during pregnancy was strongly associated with higher levels of stress, disordered eating, and dietary fat intake at 3 and 12 months postpartum; during the postpartum period, food insecurity was associated with these measures at 12 months postpartum. A significant interaction was found between level of food insecurity and prepregnancy weight status; food insecurity was associated with greater weight and BMI at 12 months only among women with overweight or obesity. Conclusions In order to return to one's prepregnancy weight, women with overweight and obesity who face household food insecurity may need multipronged assistance that not only addresses having enough high‐quality food, but also include stress reduction and eating behavior interventions.
ISSN:1930-7381
1930-739X
DOI:10.1002/oby.21075