Abstract
Objective
Our aim was to evaluate obesity risk knowledge, weight misperception, and diet and
health-related attitudes among women intending to become pregnant compared to those
not intending to become pregnant.
Design
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of health behaviors, including obesity risk
knowledge, weight misperception, and diet and health-related attitudes among women
(aged 16 to 40 years) attending reproductive health clinics in southeast Texas. Data
were collected through self-administered questionnaires and chart review. Multivariable
logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between pregnancy
intention and obesity risk knowledge, weight misperception, and health-related attitudes
after adjusting for age, race, income, and gravidity.
Results
Overall, 1,726 women completed the survey, of which 1,420 responded to a question
on pregnancy intention. Of these, 126 stated they were intending to become pregnant.
Obesity risk knowledge (adjusted odds ratio=1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74 to 1.77) and weight misperception (adjusted
odds ratio=1.17; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.83) did not differ between women intending and not
intending to become pregnant. In addition, diet and health-related attitudes did not
differ between these two groups (P>0.05 for all). Among women intending to become pregnant, 51% had low obesity risk
knowledge and 31% misperceived their body weight. Further, 76% of these women felt
confused about what constitutes a healthy diet, although 47% believed that their current
diet was healthy and saw no reason to change their current eating patterns. While
weight misperception did not differ significantly between the two groups, overweight
women intending to become pregnant were more likely to misperceive their weight than
obese women intending to become pregnant (71% vs 10%; P<0.001).
Conclusions
There is a need for improved preconception counseling, especially for women intending
to become pregnant, regarding the risks associated with being overweight or obese,
misperception of body weight, and negative diet and health-related attitudes.
Keywords
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Biography
A. B. Berenson is a professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
Biography
A. M. Pohlmeier is a postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
Biography
T. H. Laz is a research scientist, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
Biography
M. Rahman is an associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
Biography
G. Saade is a professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 20, 2015
Accepted:
April 29,
2015
Received:
December 8,
2014
Footnotes
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
FUNDING/SUPPORT Federal support for this study was provided by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to a National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellow under an institutional training grant (T32HD055163). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NICHD or the National Institutes of Health.
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© 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
