AUGUSTA, Ga. – Post-pregnancy excess weight is likely caused by theimpact of new parenthood stress on physical activity, Georgia HealthSciences University researchers say.
In a study of 60 first-time mothers, researchers linked higherpost-pregnancy body mass index – weight in relation to height – to acombination of a high BMI before pregnancy, excessive weight gain duringpregnancy, parenting stress and a sedentary lifestyle, according to astudy published in Women & Health.
The study gauged parental stress by asking participants to ratestatements such as “I feel like I have less time to myself” and “Ienjoy being a parent.” They were also asked to recall their physicalactivity over the previous 24 hours, categorizing that activity fromlight to vigorous.
“Sedentary lifestyle, or a low amount of physical activity, was mostinfluenced by the type of parenting stress the mothers reported,” saysDr. Deborah Young-Hyman, behavioral psychologist with the GeorgiaPrevention Institute. “More parenting stress, especially depression,was associated with less physical activity and a higher postpartumBMI.”
Interestingly, social interaction, generally considered a measure ofwell-being, correlated with a higher body mass index, she noted.
“We think women are socializing with their friends, not isolatingthemselves, but they are doing sedentary things like talking on thephone, watching television or hanging out at home, instead of takingtheir babies on a walk together.”
New moms with a higher BMI did report more depressive symptoms, butoverall felt competent as parents. Those with lower BMIs reported morephysical activity (and less depressive symptoms) but more concern abouttheir competence as parents.
“We know that physical activity improves your mood and helps you loseweight, but no one has ever asked how physical activity is related toparenting stress in first-time moms,” Young-Hyman said. “The bottomline is that parenting stress does impact the postpartum lifestyles ofnew moms,” she said.
Based on a current study tracking how first-time mothers adjust toparenthood, researchers will develop an intervention to help new momscreate healthy lifestyles for both themselves and their babies –preventing overweight mothers and children.
Dr. Deborah Young Hyman, a researcher at the Georgia Health Sciences University Georgia Prevention Institute, has shown that post-pregnancy excess weight is likely caused by the impact of new parenthood stress on physical activity.Dr. Young Hyman is shown here with new mother Ashley Yates and her baby, Isabella Yates.
(Photo Credit: Phil Jones, campus photographer, Georgia Health Sciences University)