title: Weight-related self-efficacy in relation to maternal body weight from early pregnancy to 2 years post-partum.
abstract: Excessive gestational weight gain may lead to long-term increases in maternal body weight and associated health risks. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal body weight and weight-related self-efficacy from early pregnancy to 2 years post-partum. Women with live, singleton term infants from a population-based cohort study were included (n = 595). Healthy eating self-efficacy and weight control self-efficacy were assessed prenatally and at 1 year and 2 years post-partum. Body weight was measured at early pregnancy, before delivery, and 6 weeks, 1 year and 2 years post-partum. Behavioural (smoking, breastfeeding) and sociodemographic (age, education, marital status, income) covariates were assessed by medical record review and baseline questionnaires. Multi-level linear regression models were used to examine the longitudinal associations of self-efficacy measures with body weight. Approximately half of the sample (57%) returned to early pregnancy weight at some point by 2 years post-partum, and 9% became overweight or obese at 2 years post-partum. Body weight over time was inversely related to healthy eating (β = -0.57, P = 0.02) and weight control (β = -0.99, P < 0.001) self-efficacy in the model controlling for both self-efficacy measures as well as time and behavioural and sociodemographic covariates. Weight-related self-efficacy may be an important target for interventions to reduce excessive gestational weight gain and post-partum weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Health Behavior Branch, Division of Intramural Public Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Leah M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lipsky
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Myla S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Strawderman
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050177:Overweight / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: behaviour-specific self-efficacy; maternal weight change; prospective cohort; weight-related behaviours