Eating behaviors associated with levels of anxiety during pregnancy

Abstract

The objective was to determine the eating behaviors associated with anxiety levels during pregnancy at the Morales Health Center, August-December 2018. Applied research, descriptive, quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional design. The population was constituted by 414 and the sample by 78 pregnant women attended. The technique was the survey and the instrument was the questionnaire. For the determination of “Anxiety levels”; the instrument was used: state-anxiety levels questionnaire (STAI). For "Eating Behaviors", the Likert Test was applied. Results: The sociodemographic characteristics of the pregnant women treated at the Morales Health Center were: 47.4% are in the most frequent age group 26-33 years; 28.2% developed complete secondary education; 78.2% cohabiting marital status; and 56% had 1 to 2 pregnancies. The anxiety levels were: 89.7% average anxiety level; 10.3% high level of anxiety. The eating behaviors observed: 73.1% developed moderately adequate eating behavior, 25.6% inappropriate eating behavior; and 1.3% proper eating behavior. The average level of anxiety is the one with the greatest presence in the pregnant women participating in the study and, therefore, the greatest impact on eating behaviors. Conclusion: There is a statistically significant relationship (p<0.05), between Eating Behaviors and the Level of Anxiety during pregnancy in patients treated at the Morales Health Center.