Food Habits and Choices, Physical Activity, and Breastfeeding Among Overweight and Obese Postpartum Women.

Weight gain during pregnancy and weight retention 6 months postpartum are critical markers in predicting risk for life-long overweight in childbearing women. Pre-pregnancy weight, age, race, marital status, income, and parity are related to weight retention among postpartum women. Health behaviors, such as dietary intake, physical activity, and breastfeeding have also been associated with weight loss during the postpartum period. The purpose of this study was to 1.) describe food group servings, nutrient intake and quality, and meal and snack intake of exclusively breastfeeding (EB), mixed feeding (MF), or formula feeding (FF) women and 2.) determine how breastfeeding, food choices, and physical activity impact weight change by 6 months postpartum. In this sample of 450 women, the FF group consumed fewer calories and servings of grains, refined grains, and desserts. FF women were more likely to report dieting and not consume a multivitamin. All groups were at risk for vitamins A, E and C, calcium, folate and fiber inadequacies. MF women were also at risk for vitamins D, B-6, and zinc inadequacies, while FF women were also at risk for vitamin D inadequacy. Among 188 women, breastfeeding duration was related to weight loss (r = 0.23, P These findings suggest encouraging fruit, vegetable, dairy, grain, meat and beans, and healthy fat consumption may increase nutrients at risk for inadequacy in the diet. The behavioral factors significantly associated with weight gain were daily servings of soda, sweetened beverages, French fries, chips, desserts and sweets, and weekly fast food consumption. Decreasing these dietary behaviors may help promote weight loss during the postpartum period

Body Image and Body Satisfaction Differ by Race in Overweight Postpartum Mothers

Body image (BI) and body satisfaction may be important in understanding weight loss behaviors, particularly during the postpartum period. We assessed these constructs among African American and white overweight postpartum women

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Body Image and Body Satisfaction Differ by Race in Overweight Postpartum Mothers

BACKGROUND: Body image (BI) and body satisfaction may be important in understanding weight loss behaviors, particularly during the postpartum period. We assessed these constructs among African American and white overweight postpartum women. METHODS: The sample included 162 women (73 African American and 89 white) in the intervention arm 6 months into the Active Mothers Postpartum (AMP) Study, a nutritional and physical activity weight loss intervention. BIs, self-reported using the Stunkard figure rating scale, were compared assessing mean values by race. Body satisfaction was measured using body discrepancy (BD), calculated as perceived current image minus ideal image (BD<0: desire to be heavier; BD>0: desire to be lighter). BD was assessed by race for: BD(Ideal) (current image minus the ideal image) and BD(Ideal Mother) (current image minus ideal mother image). RESULTS: Compared with white women, African American women were younger and were less likely to report being married, having any college education, or residing in households with annual incomes >$30,000 (all p < 0.01). They also had a higher mean body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.04), although perceived current BI did not differ by race (p = 0.21). African Americans had higher mean ideal (p = 0.07) and ideal mother (p = 0.001) BIs compared with whites. African Americans' mean BDs (adjusting for age, BMI, education, income, marital status, and interaction terms) were significantly lower than those of whites, indicating greater body satisfaction among African Americans (BD(Ideal): 1.7 vs. 2.3, p = 0.005; BD(Ideal Mother): 1.1 vs. 1.8, p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences exist in postpartum weight, ideal images, and body satisfaction. Healthcare providers should consider tailored messaging that accounts for these racially different perceptions and factors when designing weight loss programs for overweight mothers

Resistant starch from high amylose maize (HAM-RS2) and Dietary butyrate reduce abdominal fat by a different apparent mechanism

Objective Obesity is a health concern. Resistant starch (RS) type 2 from high-amylose maize (HAM-RS2) and dietary sodium butyrate (SB) reduce abdominal fat in rodents. RS treatment is associated with increased gut hormones peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), but it is not known if SB increases these hormones. Design and Methods This was investigated in a 2 × 2 rat study with HAM-RS2 (0 or 28% weight) and dietary sodium butyrate (0 and 3.2%) resulting in isocaloric treatments: energy control (EC), sodium butyrate (SB), HAM-RS2 (RS), and the combination (SBRS). Results RS and SB reduced abdominal fat and the combination reduced abdominal fat compared to SB and RS. RS was associated with increased fermentation in the cecum. Serum PYY and GLP-1 total were increased with RS treatment. RS treatment was associated with increased cecal butyrate produced from fermentation of RS, but there was no cecal increase for dietary SB. Conclusions SB after its absorption into the blood appears to not affect production of PYY and GLP-1, while butyrate from fermentation in the cecum promotes increased PYY and GLP-1. Future studies with lower doses of RS and SB are warranted and the combination may be beneficial for human health. © 2013 The Obesity Society