Postpartum Physical Activity and Weight Retention within One Year: A Prospective Cohort Study in Vietnam

Anh Vo Van Ha, Yun Zhao, Colin W. Binns, Ngoc Minh Pham, Phung Thi Hoang Nguyen, Cong Luat Nguyen, Tan Khac Chu and Andy H. Lee
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Anh Vo Van Ha: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Yun Zhao: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Colin W. Binns: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Ngoc Minh Pham: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Phung Thi Hoang Nguyen: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Cong Luat Nguyen: National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Tan Khac Chu: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Andy H. Lee: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: After delivery, mothers are encouraged to increase physical activity (PA) gradually to regulate body weight; however, data on PA in relation to postpartum weight retention remains scarce, particularly among Asian women. In a cohort of 1617 Vietnamese mothers, we investigated the prospective association between habitual PA exposures at 3-month postpartum and weight retention at 6-month and 12-month postpartum. Detailed information on PA intensity and domains was collected from participants using a validated instrument specifically for Vietnamese women. Linear regression analyses and a general linear model for the repeated weight retention measures were used to ascertain the apparent relationships. On average, the participants reported 3.6 (SD 3.9) and 2.6 (SD 3.8) kg weight loss at 6- and 12-month postpartum, respectively. Total and light-intensity PA were inversely associated with the postpartum weight retention ( p for trend <0.05). Our findings highlight the importance of resuming PA in the early postpartum period as an appropriate weight management strategy.

Keywords: physical activity; pregnancy; body weight; postpartum weight retention; cohort study; Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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