Intuitive eating and mindfulness during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and postpartum.

Abstract

Background: The pre-gestational, gestational, and postpartum periods are marked by physiological, hormonal, and emotional changes that can significantly impact women's eating habits and behaviors. In this context, mindful eating and intuitive eating have emerged as promising strategies to promote a healthier relationship with food throughout these stages. Objectives: To investigate the practice of mindful eating and intuitive eating during the pre-gestational, gestational, and postpartum periods. Methodology: This longitudinal study was conducted with pregnant women receiving care in both the public and private healthcare systems in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data related to the pre-pregnancy period (retrospective) and pregnancy were collected in person between July 2019 and February 2020. Postpartum data were collected through telephone interviews from March 2020 to May 2021, due to social distancing measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eating behavior was assessed using self-administered versions of the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) and the Intuitive Eating Scale (IES). The MEQ was used to analyze mindful eating, and the IES was used to assess intuitive eating. Analysis of covariance was employed to compare the mean scores of eating behaviors across the different periods, followed by Bonferroni post hoc tests to identify significant differences. Data are presented as means and standard deviations. Results: The sample consisted of 103 participants (mean age 28.50 ± 6.11 years). During pregnancy, women showed higher mean scores for intuitive eating (3.43 ± 0.51) and mindful eating (2.69 ± 0.35) compared to the pre-pregnancy period (3.36 ± 0.55 and 2.59 ± 0.34, respectively; p = 0.038 and p < 0.001). However, when comparing pregnancy to the postpartum period, a higher mean score for mindful eating was observed in the postpartum period (2.75 ± 0.31; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Women showed greater engagement in intuitive and mindful eating during pregnancy compared to the pre-gestational period, and mindful eating behaviors were maintained postpartum. These findings suggest that maternal nutritional interventions can be enhanced by incorporating these approaches, fostering the development of self-regulation in eating and mind-body connection, which supports healthier and more sustainable food choices throughout the perinatal period.