Stages of change for weight management in postpartum women.

Objective: This study examined factors related to stages of change for weight-management behaviors in postpartum women.

Design: Cross-sectional data, collected at baseline, are reported from the Mothers' Overweight Management Study (MOMS), a randomized, controlled trial conducted in postpartum women who participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).Subjects/Setting Subjects were a sample of WIC recipients (N=151) older than 18 years of age with a child younger than 2 years. Statistical analysis The dependent variables were the stages of change for weight-management behaviors (losing weight, avoiding high-fat foods, eating a high-fiber diet, and exercising). Demographic, health, and psychosocial variables were examined as independent variables. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare means, and chi(2) was used for proportions.

Results: Whereas 55% of women were in the action stage for weight loss, fewer women were in the action stage for the following weight management behaviors: avoiding high-fat foods (24%), increasing fiber (19%), and exercising three times per week (29%). Identifying pros for weight management was related to stages for losing weight, high-fat food avoidance, and exercise (F=13.4, P<.001; F=10.5, P<.001; F=3.7, P<.007, respectively). Self-efficacy for choosing a low-fat restaurant meal or using food labels was positively related to later stages for avoiding high-fat foods and increasing fiber intake (chi(2)=16.4, P=.003; chi(2)=11.7, P=.02).

Conclusions: Emphasizing the pros for weight-management behaviors, decreasing the cons for exercising, increasing confidence to select low-fat restaurant choices, and improving skills for using food labels are four strategies that nutrition professionals can use to help women become more ready to change behaviors for weight management.