| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 902751 | Body Image | 2014 | 4 Pages |
•Despite women desiring to lose weight, average weight did not change pre-wedding.•Six months post-wedding participants had gained approximately 2.14 kg.•Women told to lose weight pre-wedding gained significantly more weight post-wedding.•Wedding-related weight change may play an important role in women's body image.
The present study examined wedding-related weight change in 343 brides recruited from Bridal Expos in South Australia. Demographic measures and questions about weight were assessed over three time points: upon entry into the study (n = 343), 1-month pre-wedding (n = 130), and 6-months post-wedding (n = 112). Although close to 50% of brides-to-be indicated a desire to lose weight before their weddings, linear mixed modelling revealed that their average weight did not change in the lead up to their wedding. However, 6 months after their wedding, participants had gained approximately 2 kg. In addition, women who had been told to lose weight before their wedding gained significantly more weight post-wedding compared to participants who had not been told to lose weight. The findings demonstrate that wedding-related weight change may be an important factor in the body image of newlyweds and clinicians should be mindful of potential body dissatisfaction associated with post-wedding weight gain.
