Call CC, Magee K, Conlon RPK, Hipwell AE, Levine MD. Disordered eating during pregnancy among individuals participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Eat Behav 2023;
49:101726. [PMID:
37079978 PMCID:
PMC10247396 DOI:
10.1016/j.eatbeh.2023.101726]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Food insecurity is associated with adverse psychosocial and health consequences in pregnancy. In non-pregnant populations, evidence suggests that food insecurity is linked to eating pathology, independent of depression or anxiety. Food assistance programs intended to reduce food insecurity, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), may unintentionally contribute to eating pathology through a "feast-or-famine" cycle (i.e., cyclical periods of food deprivation and food access over the benefit month). Thus, the present study examined associations between WIC participation and disordered eating in pregnancy, covarying for depressive symptoms.
METHODS
The present study is a secondary analysis of the Pittsburgh Girls Study (PGS), a 21-year prospective longitudinal study that over-sampled households in low resourced neighborhoods. The present analysis included a subset of pregnant PGS participants (N = 210; 13-25 years of age) who reported on WIC participation, and disordered eating and depressive symptoms on validated measures.
RESULTS
Negative binomial regression models covarying for participant's age at conception and gestational age at assessment found that WIC participation was associated with higher scores on overall eating pathology as well as dieting and oral control subscales, but not bulimic or food preoccupation subscales, or a binge-eating item. Patterns of findings did not change when depressive symptom severity was included in models.
DISCUSSION
WIC participation was associated with eating pathology during pregnancy. Future research should clarify directional relationships among food insecurity, food assistance, and eating behavior in pregnancy to promote health equity.
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