title: Postpartum weight retention among women in Rio de Janeiro: a follow-up study.
abstract: This study presents follow-up results on trends in postpartum weight retention among women in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at 0.5, 2, 6, and 9 months postpartum. The outcome variable, weight retention, was calculated by subtracting the reported pre-pregnancy weight from the observed weight at each interview. Statistical analyses used means and a 95% confidence interval for weight retention. Mean weight retention was 4.7, 4.1, 3.4, and 3.1kg at 0.5, 2, 6 and 9 months postpartum, respectively. At completion of the study, the largest weight retention was observed in women over 30 years of age (4.2kg) and with 30% or more of body fat (5.9kg). The rate of reduction in weight retention was 0.4kg/month, 0.2kg/month, and 0.1kg/ month for the periods 0.5-2, 2-6, and 6-9 months, respectively. The largest reductions were observed among young, single women and those with < 30% of body fat at baseline. The results suggest that variables such as age, parity, schooling, and body fat may be important predictors of postpartum weight retention.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição Social e Aplicada, Instituto de Nutrição Josué de Castro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brasil. gkac@gbl.com.br
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kac
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: D'Aquino Benicio
authors.forename: Joaquim Gonçalves
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Velásquez-Meléndez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015430:Weight Gain