Obesity, Overweight
Conditions
Keywords
Overweight, Obese, Postpartum, Weight loss, Inflammation, Obesity, Cardiovascular
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a worksite diet and exercise program on weight loss in postpartum women.
Detailed description
This project is a research study investigating the effects of a worksite diet and exercise intervention on weight loss in overweight postpartum women. Weight loss programs have been shown to be effective in reducing postpartum weight retention. However, high attrition rates in these studies suggest that the added responsibility of a new infant at home and returning to work may limit a woman's ability to follow a diet plan and exercise regularly. We hope that by offering a weight loss program at the workplace, we can increase participant retention and maximize weight loss in this population. Our primary aim is to promote weight loss while preserving lean body mass during the 12 week intervention. Secondary aims include increasing cardiovascular fitness from baseline and improving cardiovascular biomarkers, including total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and markers of inflammation and metabolism.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALWeight loss
1. Participants will be prescribed a reduced calorie diet and asked to track their diet three days per week using the online USDA MyPlate SuperTracker. This record will be accessed by the RD in order to provide diet recommendations sent by email. 2. Participants will be given an exercise prescription, and encouraged to walk briskly with a provided pedometer or exercise at the campus Recreation Center every day. Participants will be asked to record the number of steps and other physical activity in a log book. 3. Participants will meet with the research staff every other week to measure weight, waist and hip circumference, and record the steps from the pedometer. 4. Participants will be encouraged to breastfeed their baby and provided with resources for pumping breast milk at work.
Sponsors
University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* 18 years and older, 10 to 14 weeks postpartum, University faculty, staff, and students, BMI 25-35 or at least 4.5 kilograms heavier than prepregnancy weight, English speaking
Exclusion criteria
* Smoking, chronic disease, BMI \>35
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Weight loss and change in body composition | 12 weeks | We will be measuring change in weight, waist and hip circumference, and body fat percentage to assess the degree of weight loss and change in body composition at baseline and after the 12 week intervention. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol | 12 weeks | We will be measuring changes in total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL at baseline and after the 12 week intervention. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed