Postpartum weight status and associated sociocultural characteristics in women with 1-3 year-old children enrolled in a family health center

Objective: To examine the postpartum weight status of women enrolled in the Education Family Health Center (EFHC) and the sociodemographic and sociocultural influences on postpartum weight status. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of all women with children aged 1-3 registered in three units of EFHC. All women who met the criteria were called and invited to EFHC, and an online questionnaire was sent to all women who could not attend. The study, which targeted all women with children aged 1-3, was completed with 142 participants. Participants were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Weight Self-Stigma Scale. Results: The mean age of the women was 32.4±4.9 years, postpartum weight retention was 4.72±6.83, and mean weight gain during pregnancy was 13.57±5.79. While the pre-pregnancy obese BMI rate was 9.20%, the post-pregnancy obese BMI rate was 19.7%. Postpartum weight retention was higher in women with overweight and obese BMI (7.97±8.63, p<0.001). Postpartum weight retention was found to be higher in working women (2.8±4.5, p=0.005) and women living in nuclear families (5.1±6.7, p=0.034) and lower in women with a bachelor's degree or higher (3.6±6.2, p=0.017). While higher postpartum weight retention was found to be borderline significant in women with two-person nutritional beliefs (6.9±7.8, p=0.05), no difference was found in those who experienced pressure to consume food (p>0.05). No significant correlation was found between the perceived social support scale family, friends, significant other, and total scores (p>0.05) in contrast, while a weak positive correlation was found between self-devaluation, internalized fear of enacted stigma, and total scores in the self-stigmatization scale (p<0.05, r: 0.226, r: 0.167, r: 0.230, respectively). Conclusion: The obesity rate of women doubled compared to the beginning of pregnancy. Having a bachelor's degree or higher and being employed had a positive effect on postpartum weight, whereas living in a nuclear family was associated with more postpartum weight gain. Postpartum weight in women with two-person dietary beliefs While postpartum weight retention was higher, this effect was not observed in women under pressure from their environment to consume food. While perceived social support was not associated with postpartum weight retention, stigmatization increased postpartum weight retention. Self-stigmatization is one of the critical barriers to overcoming weight problems. In family medicine, nutrition and physical activity counseling should be provided to women for weight management before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and in the postpartum period, and interventions should be made to address women's beliefs, attitudes, and psychosocial factors. Keywords: Family medicine, postpartum weight retention, perceived social support, weight-related self-stigma