It’s understandable that a bride would want to look her best for her wedding.

But shedding the pounds for the big day is putting brides-to-be at risk of eating disorders, a study claims.

Women about to get married were found to have the same level of dissatisfaction with their bodies as patients with eating disorders, according to research involving more than 300 volunteers.

Among the main reasons found was pressure from family to slim down, as well as social media. 

However, their fiances were found to be ‘more supportive’ of the bride’s appearance. 

Brides-to-be are at risk of eating disorders from trying to lose weight ahead of their wedding

Fiances were found to be more supportive of their future spouse’s appearance

Psychologist Genevieve Nowicki, who led the study reported in the journal Eating Behaviours, said: ‘An important finding from our study is that brides-to-be showed dissatisfaction with their bodies at similar levels to patients with diagnosed clinical eating disorders, highlighting the severity of these issues and the need to raise awareness.

‘Pressure from family can often be in the form of comments praising weight loss or family members making comments about their own appearance that are then internalised by brides.’

More than 80,000 weddings take place in the UK each year, with researchers saying that up to 91 per cent of brides-to-be attempt to lose weight in the run-up to their big day.

The new research involved 329 women aged 18 to 45, all engaged and due to be married within the next 12 months. They were recruited through social media, and via wedding planners and florists.

Researchers say that up to 91 per cent of brides-to-be attempt to shed pounds ahead of their big day

They were quizzed using questionnaires designed to collect information about their eating behaviour, body dissatisfaction and to identify the pressures in the run-up to the wedding day.

The results showed a strong link between family pressure and disordered eating – including skipping meals, fasting, binge eating, purging, over-exercising, and preoccupation with weight or body shape.

The researchers, from Northwestern University in Illinois, say this result was surprising and suggests that family members may be particularly influential in wedding-related eating behaviour. Media, especially social media, was also noted as a strong influence.