Article

Provider advice about weight loss and physical activity in the postpartum period.

Department of Maternal and Child Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Journal of Women s Health (impact factor: 1.57). 02/2010; 19(3):397-406. DOI:10.1089/jwh.2008.1332 pp.397-406
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT To explore the association between healthcare provider advice about weight loss and physical activity in the postpartum period and weight retention and activity levels in women assessed at 3 months postpartum.
Using data from a prospective cohort study, we explored the association of advice with postpartum weight retention and activity levels in 688 women at 3 months postpartum. Data from home visits included anthropometric measurements and information collected from sociodemographic, health behavior, and psychosocial questionnaires. Weight retention was calculated as weight at 3 months postpartum minus prepregnancy weight; activity levels and advice were based on maternal self-report. Linear regression and Poisson regression were used to explore associations.
The majority of the population was white (76%), had a greater than high school education (83%), and had an income >185% of the federal poverty level (81%). Women ranged in age from 17 to 48 years. Most women reported receiving no weight loss (89.1%) and no physical activity advice (77.4%) from a healthcare provider during the 3-month postpartum period. After adjustment, we found no association between provider advice and weight retention. When compared with those who reported no advice, following provider advice showed an association with recreational activity above the median (RR 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24, 1.80).
Provider advice may influence physical activity but may not be enough to help postpartum women lose pregnancy weight. Instead, women may benefit more from individualized counseling and follow-up beyond the usual 6-week postpartum visit.

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  • Article: Physical activity patterns during pregnancy.
    Katja M Borodulin, Kelly R Evenson, Fang Wen, Amy H Herring, Aimee M Benson
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    ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to describe the mode, frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity among pregnant women, to explore whether these women reached the recommended levels of activity, and to explore how these patterns changed during pregnancy. This study, as part of the third phase of the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study, investigated physical activity among 1482 pregnant women. A recall of the different modes, frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity during the past week was assessed in two telephone interviews at 17-22 and 27-30 wk of gestation. Most women reported some type of physical activity during both periods. Child and adult care giving, indoor household, and recreational activities constituted the largest proportion of total reported activity. The overall physical activity level decreased during pregnancy, particularly in care giving, outdoor household, and recreational activity. Women who were active during the second and the third trimesters reported higher levels of activity in all modes of activity than those who became active or inactive during pregnancy. The majority did not reach the recommended level of physical activity. These data suggest that self-reported physical activity decreased from the second to the third trimesters, and only a small proportion reached the recommended level of activity during pregnancy. Further research is needed to explore if physical activity rebounds during the postpartum period.
    Medicine and science in sports and exercise 11/2008; 40(11):1901-8. · 3.71 Impact Factor
Data provided are for informational purposes only. Although carefully collected, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The impact factor represents a rough estimation of the journal's impact factor and does not reflect the actual current impact factor. Publisher conditions are provided by RoMEO. Differing provisions from the publisher's actual policy or licence agreement may be applicable.

Keywords

3 months postpartum
 
3-month postpartum period
 
activity levels
 
federal poverty level
 
healthcare provider
 
healthcare provider advice
 
home visits
 
individualized counseling
 
Linear regression
 
physical activity advice
 
postpartum weight retention
 
postpartum women
 
pregnancy weight
 
prepregnancy weight
 
prospective cohort study
 
Provider advice
 
psychosocial questionnaires
 
usual 6-week postpartum visit
 
weight loss
 
Women