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Introduction: Gestational weight gain (GWG) along with weight retention one year postpartum is associated with long-term obesity. Assessment of potential risky dietary behaviors might prevent weight retention and obesity.
Aim: To determine the effect of breakfast intake, beverages and snacks among postpartum females attending family health centers in Alexandria on the body mass index at one year after delivery. Methods: One hundred (100) postpartum cases with BMI>25 at one year after delivery were matched with one hundred (100) normal weight control mothers for age between January and December, 2014. All study participants were interviewed and dietary behavior was assessed using the Snack and Beverage Food Frequency Questionnaire (SBFFQ). Seven days recall of breakfast and snack intake was done. Mothers??? intake of certain sweet and salty items during the prior seven days was assessed by asking how many days, how many times per day, and how much of the item the mother consumes. Finally, the intake was converted into the total calories consumed for each individual item and was summed to obtain the total daily caloric intake.
Results: Almost half (51%) of overweight and obese mothers ate breakfast six to seven days per week compared to almost one two third (68%) of the females with normal BMI. GWG was between 8-16 kg in the cases while the range in the normal weight mothers was between 9-14 kg. Women with BMI>25 consumed 937 higher calories per week from salty snacks and sweetened drinks, and a lower BMI compared to normal weight mothers (p<0.05). The mean caloric intake in overweight and obese mothers per day was 2367.25572.91 compared to 1430.63333.23 in females with normal body weight (p<0.05).
Conclusion: More effort is needed to motivate regular breakfast intake and dietary behavior modification among postpartum mothers.
