Diet and/or exercise treatment for weight loss in overweight and obese women after childbirth

AIM: The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to evaluate whether, dietary behavior modification treatment (D), or physical exercise behavior modification treatment (E), or the combination of both (DE), provide short and long-term weight loss compared to control (C) among overweight and obese lactating women, and if so how. METHODS: At 10-14 weeks postpartum, 68 lactating Swedish women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index of 25-35 were randomized to 12 weeks of treatment or control. The study variables were measured at baseline, after the intervention, and again at a 1-year follow-up, 9 months after treatment termination. A total of 29 interviews were also made. RESULTS: Weight changes (kg) after the intervention and 1-year follow-up, respectively, were -8.3 ± 4.2 and -10.2 ± 5.7 in D, -2.4 ± 3.2 and -2.7 ± 5.9 in E, -6.9 ± 3.0 and -7.3 ± 6.3 in DE, and -0.8 ± 3.0 and -0.9 ± 6.6 in C. The main effects of D, but not of E, on weight were significant at both times (p