Is maternal psychopathology related to obesigenic feeding practices at 1 year?

To investigate the relationship between maternal psychopathological symptomatology during pregnancy and at 6 and 12 months postnatally and maternal use of controlling and restrictive feeding practices at 1 year.

Eighty-seven women completed a measure of psychological distress during pregnancy and at 6 and 12 months postpartum, and at 12 months postnatally these women reported their usage of controlling and restrictive feeding practices and were observed feeding their infants.

General psychological distress, particularly anxious psychopathology, during pregnancy and at 6 and 12 months postnatally was significantly associated with maternal use of restrictive feeding practices at 1 year, even when controlling for length of breast-feeding and the infants' weights at 1 year. Contrary to expectations, depression and eating psychopathology as measured by the SCOFF eating disorder measure during pregnancy or at 6 or 12 months postnatally were not associated with the use of controlling or restrictive feeding practices at 1 year.

These findings indicate that anxious maternal psychopathology may partially explain the development of maternal use of restriction when feeding.