Purpose: To determine if pre-conception intuitive eating, an adaptive eating behavior, was related to gestational weight gain (GWG) and the likelihood of exceeding GWG recommendations.
Methods: This prospective survey study took place in an outpatient obstetric clinic. Participants completed the pre-conception Intuitive Eating Scale for Pregnancy during a prenatal check-up appointment and total GWG was collected from the medical record. The pre-conception Intuitive Eating Scale for Pregnancy assesses unconditional permission to eat, eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, and reliance on hunger and satiety to inform what, when, and how much to eat. Hierarchical linear multiple regression and logistic multiple regression analyses determined associations between pre-conception intuitive eating and GWG on the total sample and stratified by weight status (normal/underweight, overweight, and obese).
Results: The majority of the sample (n = 253) was white, married, employed, had annual household income > $50,000, and had a college degree. No aspects of pre-conception intuitive eating predicted the likelihood of excess GWG. However, in the total sample, unconditional permission to eat (subscale) was inversely related to total GWG (B = -0.16, p < 0.05). Among women with obesity (n = 36), eating for physical rather than emotional reasons (subscale) was inversely related to total GWG (B = -0.47, p < 0.05).
Discussion: Some aspects of intuitive eating during the pre-conception period were related to total GWG, particularly for women with obesity. However, intuitive eating scores did not increase or decrease the likelihood of excess GWG. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms for this association before clinical recommendations can be made.
Level of evidence: Level III (Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies).
Keywords: Gestational weight gain; Intuitive eating; Obesity; Pre-conception.