Obesity
Conditions
Keywords
gestational weight gain, postpartum weight loss, breastfeeding, overfeeding
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to examine whether we can use social networks to spread health information and health behaviors that 1) support women in returning to their pre-pregnancy weight after delivery; and 2) promote healthy infant feeding practices.
Detailed description
The long-term goal of this research is to prevent obesity-related adverse health outcomes for future generations by applying information emerging from social network studies to the development of new population-based behavioral interventions. There are a number of critical periods during fetal and infant development that appear to influence the later development of obesity. Interventions that prevent insult to these critical windows from occurring could improve children's life course trajectories. This project sets the groundwork for examining whether social networks could explicitly be utilized to prevent obesity from developing by transmitting health information and health behaviors that 1) prevent postpartum weight retention in first time mothers and 2) promote appropriate infant feeding practices. The secondary aim is to assess which individual-level network-related characteristics best predict postpartum body composition and infant feeding practices.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSocial network building intervention
Group support and health education sessions weekly during third trimester and once every two weeks until 6 months postpartum
BEHAVIORALHome visit
Three home visits during third trimester and three during postpartum period until 6 months postpartum
Sponsors
American Heart Association
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Latina (self-defined, or born in Central or South America) * Spanish-speaking and/or English-speaking, * 18 years of age or older * less than 24 weeks pregnant * did or did not have a termination of a previous pregnancy before 20 weeks * has not carried a pregnancy to term * normal, overweight or obese (pre-pregnancy BMI \>18.5 and \<39)
Exclusion criteria
* non-Latina, * non-Spanish-speaking or non-English speaking * less than 18 years of age * more than 24 weeks pregnant * had a termination of a previous pregnancy after 20 weeks * multiparous * underweight (pre-pregnancy BMI \< 18.5) * morbidly obese (pre-pregnancy BMI ≥ 39) * currently enrolled in another program that targets weight, physical activity, or nutrition
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Weight (kg) | 6 times over 10 months | gestational weight gain and postpartum weight loss |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Infant feeding practices | 3 times over 6 months | duration of breastfeeding, use of supplemental fluids, overfeeding, timing of the introduction of solids |
| Social network structure | 6 times over 10 months | number and type of relationships |
| Waist Circumference | 3 times over 6 months | — |
| Body composition | 3 times over 6 months | BIA postpartum |
| Nutrition | 6 times over 10 months | Fat/Fruit/Vegetable intake |
| Physical Activity | 6 times over 10 months | self-report |
| Depression | 6 times over 10 months | — |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed