Relationship Between Emotional Eating and Stress Levels in Pregnant Women and Affecting Factors

Aim: Correlations between emotional eating and stress during pregnancy and related factors were examined in the present study. Material and Methods: An analytical-cross-sectional study design was employed. Two hundred and eighty-two women with pregnancy in the third trimester visiting a public hospital for follow-up made up the sample. The Emotional Eating Scale, the Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale, and a questionnaire form were instruments to collect data. Kruskal-Wallis test, Independent samples t-test, descriptive statistical analyses, one-way ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney U test were the methods of data analysis Results: Among women with pregnancy, one-third experienced their first pregnancy, and most had completed primary school. An important correlation was detected between participants’ emotional eating and education levels. Those who slept six hours or less during pregnancy and those who did not engage in at least thirty minutes of sports three days a week exhibited higher distress levels. Additionally, 43.3% of the women with pregnancy did not change their meal count during this period, while 41.5% ate due to emotions rather than hunger, indicating that eating habits influenced their mental state. All reasons for eating among women with pregnancy were found to impact their emotional eating. A significant positive correlation was observed between the two scales (p=0.007). Conclusion: A difference was detected between the characteristics of the women with pregnancy and stress and emotional eating tendencies. As their distress increased, the level of their emotional eating increased as well. It can be recommended that women with pregnancy receive stress management training, nutritional counseling, and psychological support, and be encouraged to do physical activity