The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, During Pregnancy Emotional Eating and Orthorexia

Abstract

Purpose: Adverse childhood experiences may negatively affect the health of the individual in later life and increase the risk of developing eating disorders. Eating disorders during pregnancy increase health risks for both the mother and the foetus. This study was conducted to examine the effect of adverse childhood experiences on emotional eating and orthorexia during pregnancy. Methods: The data of the descriptive and correlational study were collected using an online questionnaire distributed via WhatsApp between April and May 2023. The study included 203 pregnant women who applied to a family health center. General Information Form, Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale, ORTO-11 Test and Emotional Eater Questionnaire were used to obtain the data. Results: The mean age of the women who participated in the study was 28.47±5.00 (19-45), the mean gestational week was 24.61±10.11 (8-42), 68% were university graduates, 41.4% were employed in a job, and 74.4% did not receive dietitian support during pregnancy. While the presence of adverse childhood experiences did not affect the orthorexia scores of the pregnant women (p>0.05), it was determined that the emotional eater score increased as the number of adverse childhood experiences increased (p=0.002, r=0.213). In addition, as the emotional eater score increased, the orthorexia score decreased (p<0.001., r=-0.244). Conclusion: All healthcare professionals in contact with pregnant women should assess women holistically, provide basic nutrition education, when necessary, recognize eating disorder symptoms early, and provide guidance when necessary.