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Title: Greater nutrition knowledge is associated with lower 1-year postpartum weight retention in low-income women

Author
item Nuss, Henry
item FREELAND-GRAVES, JEANNE - UNIV TEXAS AUSTIN
item CLARKE, KRISTINE - UNIV UTAH
item KLOHE-LEHMAN, DEBORAH - TX DEPT OF AGRICULTURE
item MILANTI, TRACEY - EURO RSCG LIFE

Submitted to: Journal of American Dietetic Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2007
Publication Date: 10/1/2007
Citation: Nuss, H.J., Freeland-Graves, J.H., Clarke, K., Klohe-Lehman, D., Milanti, T.J., Bogle, M.L. 2007. Greater nutrition knowledge is associated with lower 1-year postpartum weight retention in low-income women. Journal of American Dietetic Association. 107(10):1801-1806.

Interpretive Summary: Little is known about the influence of nutrition knowledge on postpartum weight retention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess nutrition knowledge during early and late postpartum (0 and 12 months) in a sample of low-income and minority women in central Texas, and to determine if that knowledge had any relationship to weight retention at 1-year postpartum. A novel nutrition knowledge questionnaire was successfully developed and validated for use in a sample of 140 low-income mothers. Participants’ nutrition knowledge was tested during early and late postpartum, and scores were compared to weight change from prepregnancy to one year following the delivery of a healthy infant. Additionally, a survey of nutrition information sources was administered at both time points. Women who lost or retained less weight gained from pregnancy had greater knowledge of nutrition at 0 months and 12 months postpartum than those who retained more weight. Whites had higher nutrition knowledge scores than non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics. Also, women who breastfed their infant 6 months or longer had more nutrition knowledge than those who breastfed for less than 6 months. Higher knowledge test scores were observed among women who used the Internet and books/magazines as their source for information. These results indicate that assessment of nutrition knowledge and sources of nutrition information in early postpartum can identify women at risk for significant weight retention after pregnancy.

Technical Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess nutrition knowledge during early and late postpartum in a sample of low-income and minority women, and to determine if that knowledge had any relationship to weight retention at 1-year postpartum. A questionnaire was developed and validated in a sample of 151 low-income new mothers. This instrument was then administered to a separate sample of mothers (n=140) of similar demographics to assess nutrition knowledge at 0 to 1 days and 12 months postpartum. In addition, a survey of nutrition information sources was administered at both time points. Nutrition knowledge was compared with 12-month postpartum weight retention and demographic variables. Women who retained less than 5% of weight gained during pregnancy had greater knowledge of nutrition at 0 months (53% vs 49%, P<0.05) and 12 months (55% vs 51%, P<0.05) than those who retained 5% or more of weight gained during pregnancy. Whites had higher nutrition knowledge scores than non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics. Women who lactated 6 months or more had more knowledge than those who lactated less than 6 months. Higher knowledge test scores were observed among women who used the Internet and books/magazines as their source for information. These results indicate that assessment of nutrition knowledge in early postpartum can identify women at risk for significant weight retention.