title: Weight six years after childbirth: a follow-up of obese women in a weight-gain restriction programmme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to compare weight development in an intervention group and a control group, six years after participation in a gestational weight-gain restriction programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  follow-up of a prospective intervention study.
  
  
  METHODS
  antenatal care clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  a total of 129 women (88.4%) from the original intervention group and 166 women (88.8%) from the original control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  the women answered a study specific questionnaire, covering socio-demographic data and health- and weight status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  after adjusting for socio-demographic factors, the mean weight was lower (4.1kg) among the women in the intervention group, compared to the controls (p=0.028). Furthermore, the mean weight change, e.g. the weight at the six year assessment compared with the weight at the start of the intervention at the first antenatal care visit, was greater in the intervention group than in the control group. The women in the intervention group had a larger mean weight change (-5.2kg), e.g. weighed less than the women in the control group (-1.9kg) (p=0.046). Mean weight change expressed in 5kg classes also showed a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.030).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the results indicate that attending a gestational weight-gain-restriction programme can have a positive effect on weight up to six years after the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  a restrictive gestational weight gain can result in a positive weight development during the first years after childbirth. It might provide both short- and long term medical health benefits for the mother as well as the child.
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Linköping, County Council of Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Ing-Marie.Claesson@liu.se.
authors.forename: Ing-Marie
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Claesson
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Linköping, County Council of Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Josefsson
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Linköping, County Council of Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sydsjö
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000639:trends*
keywords: Intervention studies; Obesity; Pregnancy; Weight gain