Multiparity is associated with high motivation to change diet among overweight and obese postpartum women.

Background: Pregnancy is associated with weight gain and obesity. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of parity and other factors on motivation to change diet to lose weight in a cohort of overweight and obese postpartum women.

Study Design: Active Mothers Postpartum is a randomized, controlled trial aimed at postpartum weight reduction. At baseline, we measured motivation to change diet to lose weight among 491 overweight/obese postpartum women. Logistic regression was used to model the effect of parity on motivation to change diet at baseline while adjusting for potential confounders including age, race, education, body mass index category, and breastfeeding status.

Results: Approximately two thirds (68%) of participants were highly motivated to change their diet to lose weight. In the multivariable model, women with three or more children had 2.5 times the odds of high motivation compared with primigravid women, and women not breastfeeding had 1.6 times the odds of high motivation compared with any breastfeeding.

Conclusion: Although risk for obesity is incurred starting with a woman's first pregnancy, women in this study were more motivated to change their diet to lose weight after their third pregnancy. Further research is needed to understand how to best capitalize on the high motivation in women with several children as well as how to improve motivation for primigravid women and women who are breastfeeding.