Obesity-Related Dietary Behaviors among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Pregnant and Postpartum Women.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is common among reproductive age women and disproportionately impacts racial/ethnic minorities. Our objective was to assess racial/ethnic differences in obesity-related dietary behaviors among pregnant and postpartum women, to inform peripartum weight management interventions that target diverse populations.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 212 Black (44%), Hispanic (31%), and White (25%) women, aged ≥ 18, pregnant or within one year postpartum, in hospital-based clinics in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2013. Outcomes were fast food or sugar-sweetened beverage intake once or more weekly. We used logistic regression to evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and obesity-related dietary behaviors, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.


RESULTS
In adjusted analyses, Black women had 2.4 increased odds of fast food intake once or more weekly compared to White women (CI = 1.08, 5.23). There were no racial/ethnic differences in the odds of sugar-sweetened beverage intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with White or Hispanic women, Black women had 2-fold higher odds of fast food intake once or more weekly. Black women might benefit from targeted counseling and intervention to reduce fast food intake during and after pregnancy.
Division of General Internal Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Ashley
A
Harris
Division of General Internal Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Nymisha
N
Chilukuri
Division of General Internal Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Meredith
M
West
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Janice
J
Henderson
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Shari
S
Lawson
Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Sarah
S
Polk
Division of General Internal Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
David
D
Levine
Division of General Internal Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Wendy L
WL
Bennett
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D015142:Baltimore; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008484:Medicaid; D006278:Medicare; D009765:Obesity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult