Changes in Eating Behaviours Throughout Pregnancy: Associations with Gestational Weight Gain and Pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index

Anne-Sophie Plante; Simone Lemieux; Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier; S John Weisnagel; Julie Robitaille; Vicky Drapeau; Véronique Provencher; Anne-Sophie Morisset

doi:10.1016/j.jogc.2019.04.024

Changes in Eating Behaviours Throughout Pregnancy: Associations with Gestational Weight Gain and Pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index

J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2020 Jan;42(1):54-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2019.04.024. Epub 2019 Jul 6.

Authors

Anne-Sophie Plante¹, Simone Lemieux², Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier³, S John Weisnagel⁴, Julie Robitaille¹, Vicky Drapeau⁵, Véronique Provencher², Anne-Sophie Morisset⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Nutrition, Laval University, Québec City, QC; Endocrinology and Nephrology Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Québec - Université Laval Research Centre, Québec City, QC; Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec City, QC.
² School of Nutrition, Laval University, Québec City, QC; Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec City, QC.
³ Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec City, QC.
⁴ Endocrinology and Nephrology Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Québec - Université Laval Research Centre, Québec City, QC.
⁵ Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec City, QC; Department of Physical Education, Laval University, Québec City, QC; Québec Heart and Lung Institute/Research Centre, Québec City, QC.
⁶ School of Nutrition, Laval University, Québec City, QC; Endocrinology and Nephrology Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Québec - Université Laval Research Centre, Québec City, QC; Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec City, QC. Electronic address: anne-sophie.morisset@fsaa.ulaval.ca.

PMID: 31289011
DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2019.04.024

Abstract

Objective: Most pregnant women gain weight above recommended levels, and this weight gain affects mothers' and children's health. Factors influencing gestational weight gain (GWG) are numerous and include eating behaviours. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between eating behaviours and GWG while considering pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI).

Methods: Fifty-three (n = 53) women were recruited at 9.4 ± 0.6 gestational weeks. At each trimester, they completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, which evaluates disinhibition, dietary restraint, and susceptibility to hunger. Using a weight gain curve, trimester-specific GWG was calculated with interpolated weights. Total GWG was calculated as the difference between maternal weight before delivery and self-reported pre-pregnancy weight (Canadian Task Force Classification II-2).

Results: Women were aged 31.5 ± 3.5, and 81.1% had a university degree. The proportion of women who gained weight within recommendations was 21%, 28%, and 26%, at each trimester, respectively, and 38% for total pregnancy. Overall, dietary restraint score was lower in the third trimester in comparison with the first (6.1 ± 4.1 vs. 7.2 ± 4.6; P = 0.049), whereas no difference was observed for disinhibition or susceptibility to hunger. Our data suggest that variations in eating behaviours throughout pregnancy were similar among women who exhibited total GWG below, within, or above recommendations (P_trim × GWG = NS) (NS: not significant; trim: trimester). Similar observations were reported when women were compared according to their pre-pregnancy BMI (P_trim × BMI = NS).

Conclusion: Maintaining high levels of restraint may be challenging considering the increase in hunger, which could explain the decrease observed in dietary restraint scores. Changes in eating behaviours were not associated with total GWG or pre-pregnancy BMI.

Keywords: Pregnancy; eating behaviour; gestational weight gain; obesity; women's health issues.

MeSH terms

Adult
Body Mass Index
Feeding Behavior*
Female
Gestational Weight Gain*
Humans
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimesters
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult