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Journals / Batı Karadeniz Tıp Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2

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

Gebelerde Duygusal Yeme ve Stres Düzeyi Arasındaki İlişki ve Etkileyen Faktörler

Rüveyda Yüksel(AYDIN ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, HEMŞİRELİK FAKÜLTESİ, HEMŞİRELİK BÖLÜMÜ, RUH SAĞLIĞI VE HASTALIKLARI HEMŞİRELİĞİ ANABİLİM DALI)0000-0002-5997-4155
Tuğba Dündar(AYDIN ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, HEMŞİRELİK FAKÜLTESİ, HEMŞİRELİK BÖLÜMÜ, DOĞUM-KADIN SAĞLIĞI VE HASTALIKLARI HEMŞİRELİĞİ ANABİLİM DALI)0000-0002-6693-0820
Pages
205–213
Publication Date
2025-08-31
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

It can be recommended that women with pregnancy receive stress management training, nutritional counseling, and psychological support, and be encouraged to do physical activity

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aim: Correlations between emotional eating and stress during pregnancy and related factors were examined in the present study.
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Key Findings & Data: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.
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Conclusion & Impact:It can be recommended that women with pregnancy receive stress management training, nutritional counseling, and psychological support, and be encouraged to do physical activity
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Duygusal yeme · gebe · stres

Abstract

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

Özet

Amaç: Gebelikte duygusal yeme ve stres arasındaki ilişkiyi ve bu ilişkiyi etkileyen faktörleri ele almaktır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu çalışma analitik-kesitsel tipte bir araştırmadır. Araştırmanın örneklemini kamuya bağlı bir hastanede izlenen 3. trimesterdeki 282 gebe oluşturdu. Araştırmada anket formu, Duygusal Yeme Ölçeği ve Tilburg Gebelikte Distres Ölçeği kullanıldı.Veriler, tanımlayıcı istatistiksel analizler, Bağımsız Örneklem t Testi, Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi, Kruskal Wallis ve Mann Whitney U Testi’yle değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Gebelerin üçte biri ilk gebeliğini yaşamaktaydı, çoğunlukla ilköğretim düzeyinde eğitime sahiplerdi. Katılımcıların duygusal yeme düzeyleriyle eğitim düzeyi arasında anlamlı farklılık olduğu, gebeliği sırasında 6 saat ve daha az uyuyanlar ile haftada en az 3 gün 30 dk. spor yapmayanların distreslerinin yüksek olduğu görüldü. Gebelerin %43.3’ünün öğün sayısında değişiklik olmadığı, %41.5’inin gebelik sırasında açlık dışında duyguları nedeniyle de yemek yediği, yeme alışkanlıklarının ruhsal durumu üzerinde etkili olduğu belirlendi. Gebelerin tüm yemek yeme sebepleri duygusal yemeleri üzerinde etkiliydi. İki ölçek arasında pozitif yönlü anlamlılık olduğu saptandı (p=0.007). Sonuç: Gebelerin kişisel özellikleriyle stres ve duygusal yeme eğilimleri arasında fark olup, gebelerde distres arttıkça duygusal yeme düzeyi atmaktadır. Gebelere stres yönetimi eğitimleri, beslenme danışmanlığı, psikolojik destek verilmesi ve fiziksel aktivite konusunda teşvik edilmeleri önerilebilir.

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Cite This Article

Yüksel, R., Dündar, T. (2025). Relationship Between Emotional Eating and Stress Levels in Pregnant Women and Affecting Factors. Batı Karadeniz Tıp Dergisi, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2, 205–213. https://doi.org/10.29058/mjwbs.1621582

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