Eating Habits Related to Pregnancy, Body Perception, Attractiveness and Self-Confidence

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy is a period of many changes in a woman's life, including those related to eating habits, taking care of health and fitness, as well as esthetic and psychological considerations.

Methods: The study was conducted between January 2021 and December 2022. A questionnaire was used to conduct the study, the questions of which concerned eating habits, as well as perceptions of one's body and changes in appearance during pregnancy. Respondents filled out the questionnaire twice. The first survey was in the first two weeks after the doctor's confirmation of pregnancy and after the end of pregnancy, up to a maximum of 2 months after delivery. The purpose of the study was to evaluate changes in women's eating habits during pregnancy compared to before pregnancy to analyze the impact of pregnancy on women's body perception and attractiveness and self-confidence; furthermore, the study aimed to analyze the body mass index (BMI) of women before pregnancy and to compare weight gain during pregnancy depending on the initial BMI, taking into account different age groups. The values of measurable parameters were presented using the arithmetic mean, median, dominant and standard deviation. Non-measurable parameters were presented using percentages. The Chi2 test of homogeneity was used to examine differences between groups.

Results: During pregnancy, respondents mostly ate five meals a day, increased the amount of vegetables and fruits in their diets, and ate their meals without rushing (defined as slowly, calmly and without measuring the time left until the end of the meal break). Respondents reduced their coffee intake during pregnancy, while they increased their water intake to about 2 L a day. In the survey, about 2% of respondents followed a weight-loss diet during pregnancy. Respondents who were more likely to take body circumference measurements equally often monitored their daily energy intake.

Conclusion: Women changed their eating habits during pregnancy to healthier ones compared to before pregnancy. The women's eating habits and well-being were also not affected by their age. Also, there was no significant relationship between eating habits and well-being in pregnant women, regardless of their age. The study may assist medical staff in promoting healthier eating habits and tailoring psychological support, which is crucial for the well-being of pregnant women.

Keywords: body image; pregnancy nutrition; prenatal diet; psychological well-being in pregnancy; woman.

Figure 1

Flowchart of data collection process.