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.


METHODS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggested that the transition to motherhood is a period of stress that may either precipitate or exacerbate disordered eating.
Lai
Beatrice Pui-yee
BP
Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shating, NT, Hong Kong.
Tang
Catherine So-kum
CS
Tse
Winni Kwok-lai
WK
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors