A longitudinal study investigating disordered eating during the transition to motherhood among Chinese women in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE

The current longitudinal study explored the prevalence and psychosocial factors of disordered eating among new Chinese mothers in Hong Kong.

METHOD

Self-report questionnaires on bulimic symptoms and pregnancy-related factors were collected at both prenatal and postnatal periods from 131 Chinese women.

RESULTS

Participants reported significantly more severe disordered eating in the postnatal than in the prenatal period, with percentages being 19.08% and 8.4%, respectively, using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. Results revealed that prenatal disordered eating, weak maternal-fetal attachment, a low level of instrumental spousal support during pregnancy, postnatal depressive symptoms, and a poor mother-infant relationship were significantly related to disordered eating at 6 months postchildbirth.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggested that the transition to motherhood is a period of stress that may either precipitate or exacerbate disordered eating.