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Obesity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy among low‐income Latinas living in Hartford, CT
Author(s) -
BermúdezMillán Angela,
PérezEscamilla Rafael,
HromiFiedler Amber,
Damio Grace,
SeguraPérez Sofia,
Fernandez Maria Luz
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a7-a
Subject(s) - low income , obesity , weight gain , medicine , pregnancy , gerontology , environmental health , obstetrics , body weight , sociology , socioeconomics , biology , genetics
A prospective study was conducted among pregnant Latinas to document prenatal dietary patterns, pre‐pregnancy BMI and pregnancy weight gain during pregnancy. We assessed pre‐pregnancy BMI using self‐reported weight and by measuring participants’ height at the baseline survey. A single 24‐hour dietary recall during pregnancy was collected (n=102). At baseline, the majority of the participants were in their second to third trimester, their mean age was 23.2 ± 5.1 y, 73% preferred to be interviewed in Spanish, and 53% did not complete high school. Of those with reported pre‐pregnancy weight (n=96), 15% had a low BMI, 47% had a normal BMI (19.8–26.0), 15% were overweight (26.01–29.0), and 24% were obese (29.01 +). Available data for 46 participants at post‐partum, showed a mean prenatal weight gain of 37 ± 20 lbs. Underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese participants gained 38 ± 21, 40 ± 23, 44 ± 14, and 30 ± 13 lbs during pregnancy, respectively Those categorized as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese gained 10%, 31%, 119%, and 99% above the average recommendations. These preliminary results suggest that pre‐pregnancy overweight/obesity is also associated with excessive weight gain during pregnancy among Latina women. Funded through an Egg Nutrition Center pre‐doctoral fellowship, UConn Research Foundation, Latino Health Disparities NIH EXPORT Center.