title: The impact of sleep, stress, and depression on postpartum weight retention: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the impact of sleep, stress, and/or depression on postpartum weight retention.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched three electronic databases, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and PsycInfo. Studies were included if they were published between January 1990 and September 2013 in English, measured sleep, stress, and/or depression in the postpartum period, and assessed the association of these factors with postpartum weight retention. Two reviewers reviewed included articles and rated study quality using a modified version of the Downs and Black scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen studies met our pre-defined eligibility criteria, reporting on 9 study samples. Two were cross-sectional studies and eleven were longitudinal studies. The study sample size ranged from 74 to 37,127. All four studies examining short sleep duration and postpartum weight retention reported a positive association. The four studies examining postpartum stress and weight retention reported non-significant associations only. Of 7 studies examining postpartum depression and weight retention, 3 reported non-significant associations, and 4 reported positive associations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Research investigating the impact of postpartum sleep, stress, depression on weight retention is limited. Future longitudinal studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Health Research Program, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States; Division of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases and Vulnerable Populations, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States. Electronic address: rui.xiao@umassmed.edu.
authors.forename: Rui S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Health Research Program, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States; Division of Biostatistics and Health Services Research, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Aimee R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kroll-Desrosiers
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases and Vulnerable Populations, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Sherry L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Pagoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics and Health Services Research, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Sharina D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Person
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases and Vulnerable Populations, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Waring
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050177:Overweight; D049590:Postpartum Period; D012890:Sleep; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Depression; Postpartum weight retention; Postpartum women; Sleep duration; Stress