Predictors of Postpartum Exercise According to Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain.
BACKGROUND
The study purposes were to examine (1) differences in postpartum exercise (EX) and related personal/psychological correlates in women according to prepregnancy weight and pregnancy gestational weight gain (GWG) status and (2) predictors of EX at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months postpartum.


METHODS
Participants (N = 891) were recruited at maternity hospitalization and completed interviews to assess EX (Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire) and personal correlates (demographics, anxiety/depressive symptoms) before/during pregnancy. Telephone interviews were conducted to assess postpartum EX/psychological correlates. Women were categorized according to prepregnancy weight (normal and overweight) and pregnancy GWG status (above or within weight gain guidelines): normal-above, normal-within, overweight-above, and overweight-within.


RESULTS
Low levels of EX minutes were observed in all women with significant differences for strenuous EX minutes (overweight-within women had the lowest strenuous EX; normal-weight women had more strenuous EX than overweight women regardless of GWG). Correlates explained 14%-37% of the variance in postpartum EX; prepregnancy EX and pregnancy EX were strong determinants of early postpartum EX, and early postpartum EX predicted 6-month postpartum EX. Unique predictors of EX also emerged (eg, depressive symptoms for women with GWG above guidelines).


CONCLUSIONS
These study findings highlight the benefits of EX before/during pregnancy for promoting postpartum EX and suggest tailoring postpartum EX interventions based on personal/psychological correlates to maximize effectiveness.
['Downs|Danielle Symons|DS|', 'Leonard|Krista S|KS|', 'Beiler|Jessica S|JS|', 'Paul|Ian M|IM|']
D000328:Adult D015992:Body Mass Index D015444:Exercise D005260:Female D006801:Humans D050177:Overweight D049590:Postpartum Period D011247:Pregnancy D011446:Prospective Studies D013533:Surrogate Mothers D015430:Weight Gain
overweight physical activity weight status