Evolution of Postpartum Weight and Body Composition after Excessive Gestational Weight Gain: The Role of Lifestyle Behaviors—Data from the INTER-ACT Control Group

Margriet Bijlholt, Lieveke Ameye, Hanne van Uytsel, Roland Devlieger and Annick Bogaerts
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Margriet Bijlholt: Centre for Research and Innovation in Care (CRIC), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
Lieveke Ameye: Unit Woman and Child, KU Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Hanne van Uytsel: Unit Woman and Child, KU Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Roland Devlieger: Unit Woman and Child, KU Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Annick Bogaerts: Centre for Research and Innovation in Care (CRIC), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: Women with excessive gestational weight gain are at increased risk of postpartum weight retention and potentially also unfavorable body composition. Insight into the lifestyle behaviors that play a role in the evolution of postpartum weight and body composition among these women could aid identification of those at highest risk of long-term adverse outcomes. This secondary analysis of the INTER-ACT randomized controlled trial investigates control group data only (n = 524). The evolution of weight retention, percentage loss of gestational weight gain, fat percentage, waist circumference, and associated lifestyle behaviors between 6 weeks and 12 months postpartum were assessed using mixed model analyses. At six weeks postpartum, every sedentary hour was associated with 0.1% higher fat percentage ( P = 0.01), and a higher emotional eating score was associated with 0.2% higher fat percentage ( P < 0.001) and 0.3 cm higher waist circumference ( P < 0.001). Increase in emotional eating score between 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum was associated with a 0.4 kg ( P = 0.003) increase in postpartum weight retention from six months onwards. Among women with overweight, an increase in the uncontrolled eating score between 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum was associated with a 0.3 kg higher postpartum weight retention ( P = 0.04), and 0.3% higher fat percentage ( P = 0.006) from six months onwards. In conclusion, sedentary and eating behaviors play important roles in postpartum weight and body composition of women with excessive gestational weight gain and should therefore be incorporated as focal points in lifestyle interventions for this population.

Keywords: eating behavior; emotional eating; sedentary behavior; uncontrolled eating; maternal health; obesity; overweight; postpartum weight retention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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