The Associations of Weight Status and Body Attitudes with Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms Across the First Year Postpartum

Abstract

Background: Postpartum depression and anxiety are prevalent in the first year after giving birth and can have problematic health outcomes for the mother and infant, although further research is required about the factors that contribute to their development. This study explored the trajectory of depressive and anxiety symptoms across the first postpartum year and their associations with body attitudes, body mass index, and weight retention. Methods: Participants were 467 women recruited during pregnancy via online forums, in parenting magazines, and at baby and children's markets, or from a large tertiary Australian hospital. Participants reported retrospectively on the prepregnancy period a..