Postpartum weight retention among women in Rio de Janeiro: a follow-up study

Abstract

This study presents follow-up results on trends in postpartum weight retention among women in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at 0.5, 2, 6, and 9 months postpartum. The outcome variable, weight retention, was calculated by subtracting the reported pre-pregnancy weight from the observed weight at each interview. Statistical analyses used means and a 95% confidence interval for weight retention. Mean weight retention was 4.7, 4.1, 3.4, and 3.1kg at 0.5, 2, 6 and 9 months postpartum, respectively. At completion of the study, the largest weight retention was observed in women over 30 years of age (4.2kg) and with 30% or more of body fat (5.9kg). The rate of reduction in weight retention was 0.4kg/month, 0.2kg/month, and 0.1kg/ month for the periods 0.5-2, 2-6, and 6-9 months, respectively. The largest reductions were observed among young, single women and those with < 30% of body fat at baseline. The results suggest that variables such as age, parity, schooling, and body fat may be important predictors of postpartum weight retention.

The association of pregnancy and the development of obesity – results of a systematic review and meta-analysis on the natural history of postpartum weight retention

“…Most studies included primarily adult women. 23,[27][28][29][31][32][33]35,36,38,43,46 Four studies reported a mean age above 30 years, 23,27,28,36,46 one study below 20 years. 42 Two studies did not provide any information on their population's age 24,44 (Table 1).…”

“…Tables 1-3 summarize the results of the qualitative analysis. Fifteen prospective studies, 23,24,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]38,[40][41][42][43][44][45] five retrospective studies, 22,[25][26][27][28]37,46 and the control group from a randomized controlled trial 39 were included in the final analysis. Studies in which women were recruited around the time of delivery and then followed prospectively for postpartum body weight (ambivalent design, as baseline weight was assessed retrospectively) 24,29,30,[34][35][36][44][45][46] were considered as prospective in design, as we wanted to focus on the development of postpartum weight change.…”

“…39 In developing countries, women retain less weight after pregnancy compared with women in developed countries. Two studies were conducted in Brazil [31][32][33] and China. 44 Although these studies included different populations, they did not compromise overall homogeneity as the Brazilian study reported mean reduction rates in weight retention similar to European studies.…”

“…44 Although these studies included different populations, they did not compromise overall homogeneity as the Brazilian study reported mean reduction rates in weight retention similar to European studies. [25][26][27][28][31][32][33][34]36,41,43 The study participants in the study conducted in China recruited middle class women. 44 (Table 1) All but one 34 study were published in English language.…”

“…[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] The study populations were mainly recruited from inpatients in departments of obstetrics. [24][25][26][31][32][33]35,36,[38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] There was a higher percentage of low-income women in the studies conducted in North America, but socio-economic status was thought to be homogeneous across studies. 35,37,39,42,45,46 The sample size varied between 47 and 1423 women.…”