E. Godeas, A. Angarano, R. Fantinel, P.L. Rocco - Vol. 8, June 2002, Issue 2
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Indice
Effetti della gravidanza sull’immagine
corporea e sui disturbi alimentari
Effects of pregnancy on body image and
eating disorders
Objective
To evaluate in a sample of pregnant women: 1) if the pregnancy has a protecting effect on eating disorders; 2) if body image and eating behaviour influence gastrointestinal disorders, e.g. hyperemesis; 3) if during pregnancy past-dieters have greater difficulty to accept the modifications of physical appearance in comparison with women without a history of dieting.
Method
Fifty women were recruited and 25 were evaluated. The sample was assessed using a semistructured clinical interview for eating behavior and the following tests: EDI-2, EDI-Symptom Checklist, BAT, TAS-20, HADS, MMPI, FA, LTE on five times: during the first trimester (T0), during the second trimester (T1) and during the third (T2), two days (T3) and four months after childbirth (T4), respectively.
Results
The BD subscale (EDI-2) shows significantly higher levels at T0 with respect to T2. The EDI-SYC analysis shows the disappearance of abnormal eating behaviour during T1 and T2 and a tendency to higher scores after delivery. Women suffering from intestinal disorders show higher scores on the MF subscale (EDI-2) and on the BAT-3. Moreover, BAT-1 scores of past-dieters are significantly different at T0, with respect to women with no history of dieting.
Conclusions
Our results show that during pregnancy, eating disorders and body image improve.