Influence of physical activity on postpartum weight retention among women, one year after childbirth / 中华流行病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the risk factors affecting the postpartum weight retention among women.Methods Six hundred eight postpartum women were involved to establish a baseline at 42 days of postpartum in Hefei Maternal and Child Health Center of Anhui province.Information regarding pre-pregnancy weight and weight gain during pregnancy and childbirth were obtained from the Maternal Information Management System.Results Women that under study were followed up at 3,6,9,and 12 months after childbirth,with 502,476,469 and 434 available copies of valid data,respectively.Indicators of physical activity were observed.Relationship between postpartum weight retention and physical activities were analyzed by mixed-effect model,together with repeated measure-analysis on related variances.The pre-pregnancy average weight of the study objects was (54.26 ± 8.11) kg,with postpartum average weight retention as (7.83 ± 5.12),(6.58 ± 5.21),(5.10 ± 5.19),(4.07 ±+ 4.96) and (3.43 ±+ 4.98) kg in 42 days,3,6,9,12 months,respectively.Rates of weight retention was significantly different at different times of repeated measures analysis on variance (P＜0.001).Physical activities were also significantly different at different time spans (P＜ 0.001).Results from the mixed-effects model showed that physical activity and postpartum weight retention were statistically associated when adjustments were made on factors aspre-pregnancy BMI,ways of feeding,mode of delivery and other confounders (P＜0.001) while results from the mixed-effects model showed that these data were stable from step adjustment on confounding factors.Conclusion It seemed that the strength of physical activity play an important role on postpartum weight retention.