The epidemiology of maternal overweight in Dane County, Wisconsin.
BACKGROUND
Research shows that maternal obesity leads not only to adverse pregnancy outcomes but also can act as a predictor of poor health of future generations. The Public Health Madison & Dane County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Board observed poor health associated with prepregnancy BMI > or = 25, prompting further exploration of this issue in the Dane County, Wisconsin population.


OBJECTIVE
This is a descriptive epidemiologic study of the problem of maternal overweight defined as prepregnancy BMI > or = 25 in Dane County.


METHODS
Data were abstracted from the Secure Public Health Electronic Records Environment (SPHERE) on births in Dane County in 2011. Risk ratios were used to determine associations between race, education, parity, gravidity, and place of residence and maternal overweight. A t test was completed to determine differences in mean age of overweight and healthy weight mothers.


RESULTS
Approximately half (50.6%) of Dane County mothers in 2011 were overweight or obese prepregnancy. Results showed increased risk of overweight for black mothers and multiparous/multigravidous mothers. There was no difference in mean age of overweight and healthy weight mothers. Overweight rates varied considerably by ZIP code of residence.


CONCLUSIONS
Rates of maternal overweight vary significantly in Dane County by social and demographic factors. This information can be used to design and target interventions and monitor trends over time.
Carley
C
Zeal
Patrick
P
Remington
Mamadou
M
Ndiaye
Katharina
K
Stewart
Daniel
D
Stattelman-Scanlan
D000328:Adult; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D020073:Gravidity; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology