Body image disturbances and disordered eating during pregnancy
A comparison of pregnant women with low and high risk of eating disorders
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11356554 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Marie-Michelle Blouin (0009-0007-2996-1357, Université de Sherbrooke), Valérie Simard (0000-0001-5438-0270, Université de Sherbrooke, corresponding author), Julie Achim (Université de Sherbrooke) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 217 |
| Pages | 108343 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Appetite (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0195-6663 • E-ISSN: 1095-8304 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.appet.2025.108343 |
| PMID | 41083050 |
| OpenAlex | W4415062649 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 75 |
The main aims of this study are to examine changes in body image disturbances and disordered eating during pregnancy, among women who presented with low and high risk of eating disorders and to identify predisposing factors (i.e., conditions present in the preconception period) of higher body image disturbances and disordered eating during the first trimester. Two independent samples (n1 = 350, n2 = 179) of pregnant women were included in the study and completed an online survey, including a new body image and disordered eating measure tailored for pregnant women. The first sample contributed to establishing cut-off values for that new measure, which identified women with low and high risk of eating disorders. The second sample was recruited using a longitudinal design with three-time points (T1 = first trimester; T2 = second trimester; T3 = third trimester). Profile analyses revealed that the low-risk group of eating disorders displayed stable body image disturbances and disordered eating during pregnancy, while the high-risk group of eating disorders exhibited decreased body image disturbances and disordered eating from early to mid-pregnancy. Binary logistic regressions revealed that only psychological variables (i.e., history of eating disorders and depression) were significant predictors of high body image disturbances and disordered eating at T1. Our findings emphasize the need to raise awareness within the field of prenatal care to monitor eating disorder symptomatology as well as history of depression and eating disorders in non-clinical women
Bulimia nervosa · Disordered eating · Eating behavior · Eating disorders · Logistic regression · Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)
Applied Logistic Regression
Cohort Profile
Role of body dissatisfaction in the onset and maintenance of eating pathology
The Eating Attitudes Test
Self‐selection and bias in a large prospective pregnancy cohort in Norway
Development and validation of a new body image and eating behaviors measure for pregnant women
Body dissatisfaction during pregnancy
Weighty matters
Examining Completion Rates in Web Surveys via Over 25,000 Real-World Surveys
Maternal body dissatisfaction in pregnancy, postpartum and early parenting
Disordered eating from pregnancy to the postpartum period
How Well Do Women Adapt to Changes in Their Body Size and Shape across the Course of Pregnancy
Dysfunctional eating behaviour, psychological well-being and adaptation to pregnancy
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |