Development and feasibility of randomized trial to reduce urinary bisphenols in women with obesity.

BACKGROUND: Bisphenol exposure is widespread and correlated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Previous intervention studies have successfully lowered bisphenol exposure among women of normal weight. The primary objective of this study was to develop and test the feasibility of a 3-week behavioral change intervention, rooted in social cognitive theory, to lower a broad range of bisphenols (BPA, BPS, and BPF) in women with obesity. METHODS: Thirty women with obesity (31.1 ± 5.6 kg/m2, 21.1 ± 3.1 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention or control. The intervention included weekly face-to-face meetings to reduce bisphenol exposures from food, cosmetics, and packaged products. Fasting urinary bisphenols, creatinine, and weight were assessed at study entry and after 3 weeks. RESULTS: The intervention was evaluated as feasible (100% of enrollment and recruitment, 96% of retention and attendance at lesson plan visits, and 96% of a collection of urine samples). Adherence to the intervention was estimated based on completion of self-monitoring records; the number of daily records completed was 7.7 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) after week 1, 7.1 ± 1.5 after week 2, and 4.4 ± 0.9 after week 3. In secondary analysis, there was a significant treatment × time effect on creatinine-corrected urinary BPS (- 1.42 µg/g creatinine in the intervention vs. - 0.09 µg/g creatinine in the control group). CONCLUSION: In women with obesity, the 3-week intervention was considered feasible with promising preliminary results of decreasing BPS concentrations. These data warrant future large-scale clinical trial interventions to reduce bisphenol exposure and determine whether reductions in bisphenols positively impact diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk markers. This study was retroactively registered at ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier NCT03440307.

Can an internet program help mothers lose weight after pregnancy?

Gaining weight in pregnancy is important for the health of the mother and child. However, if a mother keeps on extra weight after having a baby, this can be harmful to her long-term health. This study tested whether an internet weight loss program could help mothers lose weight after having a baby. We worked with WIC, which is a program that gives low-income families food and support. Half of the women in the study received regular WIC and half received WIC plus an internet weight loss program. We found that the internet program helped mothers lose 5 more pounds than regular WIC and also helped more mothers get back to the weight that they were before pregnancy. WIC serves half of all US mothers; the internet weight loss program in WIC could help many women get closer to the weight they were before pregnancy and avoid diseases later in life.

Acculturation Influences Postpartum Eating, Activity, and Weight Retention in Low-Income Hispanic Women.

BACKGROUND: Low-income Hispanic women experience elevated rates of high postpartum weight retention (PPWR), which is an independent risk factor for lifetime obesity. Sociocultural factors might play an important role among Hispanic women; however, very few studies have examined this association. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to examine the associations between acculturation and maternal diet, physical activity, and PPWR. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study of baseline data from 282 Hispanic women participating in the FitMoms/Mamás Activas study, a randomized controlled trial examining the impact of primarily an internet-based weight control program, in reducing PPWR among low-income women. We performed multivariable linear regression to examine the association of acculturation with diet quality, physical activity, and PPWR at study entry. RESULTS: A total of 213 (76%) women had acculturation scores reflecting Mexican orientation or bicultural orientation, whereas 69 (24%) had scores that represented assimilation to Anglo culture. Women who were more acculturated had lower intakes of fruits and vegetables, lower HEI scores, and lower physical activity levels than women who were less acculturated (p < 0.05). We found an association between acculturation and PPWR in that for every 1-unit increase in acculturation score, PPWR increased, on average, by 0.80 kg. CONCLUSION: Higher acculturation was associated with poorer diet and physical activity behaviors and greater PPWR.

Where Do Women Get Advice About Weight, Eating, and Physical Activity During Pregnancy?

BACKGROUND: Most women report not receiving information about gestational weight gain (GWG) from prenatal providers, but less is known about other sources of information and their potential impacts on GWG. The purpose of this study was to investigate sources of information about diet, physical activity, and weight control during pregnancy, and the impact of information sources on maternal GWG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were 183 women with normal weight and 172 women with overweight/obesity who had enrolled in a prenatal lifestyle intervention trial. At 6 weeks postpartum, women were asked whether they had received information about "diet, physical activity, or weight control" from 12 sources uninvolved in the trial (e.g., physician, Internet, and friend) and, if received, the extent to which they followed the advice. Information sources were examined in relation to odds of exceeding Institute of Medicine (IOM) GWG guidelines based on measured weights. RESULTS: Most women reported receiving information from a book (60.6%) or the Internet (58.3%). Advice from physicians, dietitians, or nurses was reported in 55.6%, 48.2%, and 33.9% of women, respectively. Reported receipt of information from physicians was associated with reduced Odds Ratio ([95% Confidence Interval] = 0.55 [0.35-0.88]; p = 0.01) of exceeding IOM GWG guidelines. Reported receipt of information from other sources was not related to GWG. CONCLUSIONS: Books and the Internet were the most prevalent information sources reported for prenatal diet, physical activity, and weight control. However, of all sources, only physician provision of information was associated with reduced odds of excessive GWG.