Maternal Mental Health Symptoms are Positively Related to Emotional and Restrained Eating Attitudes in a Statewide Sample of WIC Participants

Abstract

The objective is to examine the association between maternal mental health and emotional and restrained eating attitudes. Data on 700 mothers of infants < 1 y from a statewide sample of the Maryland Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants were collected via a telephone survey. Maternal mental health symptoms were measured on continuous scales for depression (PRIME‐MD), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), and anxiety (Spielberger State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory). Emotional and restrained eating were measured with questions adapted from the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, with respondents scoring in the upper quartile categorized as high emotional or restrained eating. Multivariate logistic regression was used in the analysis, adjusting for race/ethnicity, infant age, education level, and marital status. Mothers reporting emotional eating reported higher symptoms of depression (OR=4.65; 95% CI 3.12‐6.95), anxiety (OR=2.36; 95% CI 1.7‐3.23), stress (OR= 2.35; 95% CI 1.82‐3.01), and higher overall mental health symptomology (OR= 4.58; 95% CI 2.94‐7.15). There were significant associations between odds of higher restrained eating and symptoms of depression (OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.14‐2.27). Mothers who report symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety are at risk for emotional and restrained eating attitudes, which may increase their risk of a poor diet. These findings underscore the need for greater focus on addressing mental health symptomology to promote healthy eating attitudes in the postpartum period. The study was funded by the Maryland WIC Program.