Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114917

Folasade A. Popoola, MPhil, Emily Oken, MD, MPH, Elsie M. Taveras, MD, MPH, Janet W. Rich-Edwards, ScD, and Matthew W. Gillman, MD, SM. Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Harvard Medical School, 133 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, 617-645-3968, folasade_popoola@student.hms.harvard.edu

Background: For many women, pregnancy begets long-term weight gain. However, modifiable behaviors in the peripartum period that may contribute to postpartum weight retention have not been well studied.

Objective: Examine the extent to which television (TV) viewing is associated with postpartum weight retention.

Methods: We studied 878 women enrolled 1999-2002 in Project Viva, a prospective maternal and child cohort in eastern Massachusetts. Outcome: Postpartum weight retention, defined as self-reported weight at 12 months postpartum minus pre-pregnancy weight, in pounds. Exposure: Hours of TV viewing per day, self-reported at 6 months postpartum. Analysis: Multiple linear regression, adjusting for household income and maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, marital status, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain, and postpartum employment, energy intake, breastfeeding duration, smoking, and physical activity.

Results: Mean age was 33.0 (SD 4.6) years, and 79% of participants were white, 96% married, and 47% primiparous. Participants retained a mean of 1.3 pounds (SD 10.2) at 12 months, and 16% retained at least 10 pounds. At 6 months, women reported watching a mean of 1.7 (SD 1.3) daily hours of TV. After multivariate adjustment, for each daily hour of TV viewing, women retained 0.5 (95% CI: -0.02, 1.05, p=0.06) pounds. This relationship was stronger among nulliparous women and those with BMI < 30 kg/m².

Conclusions: TV viewing in the early postpartum period is associated with 1-year weight retention. Interventions to reduce TV viewing in the postpartum period may help to reduce excess weight gain and prevent obesity and resulting morbidity among women.

Learning Objectives: Participants in this session will be able to

• Identify television viewing as a risk factor for postpartum weight retention.
• Describe factors that might confound the relationship between television viewing and postpartum weight retention.
• Apply the knowledge gained from this presentation in developing interventions to help prevent weight retention among women of childbearing age.

Keywords: Women's Health, Weight Management

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.