title: Unmet social support for healthy behaviors among overweight and obese postpartum women: results from the Active Mothers Postpartum Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the United States, about two thirds of women of reproductive age are overweight or obese. Postpartum is a transitional period. Life changes during this time can put mothers under high levels of stress when interpersonal support is inadequate. This study sought to explore predictors of unmet social support (support inadequacy) for healthy behaviors among postpartum women who were overweight or obese before pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Potential predictors of unmet social support for healthy behaviors were derived from baseline and 6-month postpartum data from the Active Mothers Postpartum (AMP) study. The Postpartum Support Questionnaire queried three dimensions of social support: (1) informational support, (2) emotional support, and (3) instrumental support. The main outcome, the overall Unmet Social Support Score (USSS), was the sum of the differences between the perceived need of support and perceived receipt of support in all three dimensions. Subscores were defined for each of the three support dimensions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred ninety women completed the 6-month Postpartum Support Questionnaire. Depression (p=0.018), unmarried status (p=0.049), and postpartum weight gain (p=0.003) were crude predictors for the overall USSS. After controlling for covariates, depression (p=0.009) and living with a spouse (p=0.040) were significant predictors for overall USSS. In adjusted analysis, depression remained a significant predictor for unmet emotional (p=0.035) and instrumental (p=0.001) social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain psychosocial factors predict support inadequacy expectations among postpartum women. Targeting the factors related to unmet social support may be a helpful way to promote healthy behaviors among overweight postpartum women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. allison.boothe@duke.edu
authors.forename: Allison S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Boothe
authors.forename: Rebecca J N
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carter-Edwards
authors.forename: Truls
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Østbye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001835:Body Weight; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult