Abstract: Objective: To investigate the current status and influencing factors of intuitive eating behaviors among pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight and obese. Methods: We enrolled 220 pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight and obese admitted to a tertiary grade A gynecology and obstetrics hospital in Nanjing for delivery as the study subjects in June 2022. The questionnaires included general information questionnaire, Intuitive Eating Scale-2, Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument for Pregnant Women, Perceived Social Support Scale and Multi-dimensional Health Locus of Control. The factors influencing intuitive eating behavior among pre-pregnancy overweight and obese pregnant women were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Results: The score of intuitive eating behaviors among pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight and obese was (76.27±6.64). Age, with or without pregnancy complications, eating speed, whether or not to watch electronic devices while eating during pregnancy, the level of nutritional literacy during pregnancy, the level of perceived social support, and powerful others health locus of control were the influencing factors of the intuitive eating behaviors among pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight and obese, which could explain 41.1% of the total variance (P<0.001). Conclusion: The intuitive eating behaviors among pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight and obese are at an intermediate level. Nursing professionals should focus on those who are in advanced age, with pregnancy complications among this group. Interventions should also be targeted at influencing factors to promote the establishment of intuitive eating behaviors.

Key words: overweight; obesity; pregnancy; intuitive eating; influencing factor