ST. LOUIS, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A structured, weekly program focusing on nutrition and diet helped new moms shed pounds gained during pregnancy, St. Louis University researchers reported.
The study was published this week in the Journal of Women's Health and researchers said it is important because it focused on women who were overweight when they became pregnant.
"Obesity has become such a severe problem that we need to identify times when people are at risk of becoming obese and prevent it from happening," Mary O'Toole, the lead researcher, said in a statement. "The postpartum period is a time we know women tend to retain the weight they gained during pregnancy and start in a downward spiral."
Women who attended 12 weekly diet and activity education sessions lost an average of 16 pounds. Those who only received an hour-long educational session on diet and exercise lost an average of slightly less than 3 pounds.
The study included 40 moms who had gained more than 33 pounds during pregnancy and were more than 11 pounds heavier than they were before they became pregnant.
