Using Technology to Promote Postpartum Weight Loss in Urban, Low-Income Mothers: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective To examine the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a technology-based weight loss intervention for urban, low-income mothers. Methods Eighteen obese, ethnic minority, socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers in the first year after childbirth were randomly assigned to either: 1) technology-based intervention, which included empirically-supported behavior change strategies, daily skills and self-monitoring text messages with personalized feedback, biweekly counseling calls from a health coach, and access to a Facebook support group or 2) usual care control. Results After 14 weeks of treatment, the technology-based intervention participants had significantly greater weight loss (−2.9 ± 3.6 kg) than usual care (0.5 ± 2.3 kg; adjusted mean difference: −3.2 kg, 95% CI: −6.2, −0.1 kg, p = 0.04). One-third of intervention participants (3 of 9) and no control participants lost > 5% of their initial body weight at follow-up. Conclusions and Implications Results suggest the potential for using technology to deliver a postpartum weight loss intervention among low-income racial/ethnic minorities.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Safe Sleep on Twitter: Analysis of Influences and Themes to Guide Health Promotion Efforts (Preprint)

“…This finding is also supported by studies demonstrating widespread use of social media among parental groups [13][14][15][16][17][18].…”

Adapting a Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention for Delivery via Facebook: A Pilot Series Among Low-Income Postpartum Women (Preprint)

“…Pregnancy and postpartum weight retention place socioeconomically disadvantaged women at a higher risk for overweight and obesity, as racial/ethnic minority and low-income women are more likely to exceed the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for pregnancy weight gain [6][7][8][9][10]. As a result, excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention are risk factors for obesity over the life course [8], and interventions to facilitate weight loss among low-income and racial/ethnically diverse postpartum women are needed.…”

“…However, with a few exceptions [17], translating evidence-based protocols to real world settings has proven difficult. Previous behavioral weight loss trials designed for postpartum women have had limited impact and cite several challenges, including poor intervention attendance and high attrition rates due to difficulties finding transportation, securing childcare and coordinating schedules [6,[18][19][20][21].…”

“…However, social media has been mostly used in combination with other delivery modalities (e.g. in-person groups, text messages) [6,[32][33][34], and few studies have evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of delivering a weight loss intervention solely via a publicly available social media network (e.g. Twitter, Facebook) [23,25].…”

“…Twitter, Facebook) [23,25]. Further, the existing evidence on social mediadelivered interventions is based largely on white and high socioeconomic samples, and additional research on the feasibility of interventions delivered solely via social media among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations is needed [6,31,35,36]. To examine the feasibility of social media as a delivery mode for behavioral weight loss interventions among low-income and minority postpartum women, this study aims translated a previously adapted, DPP-based weight loss intervention (The Fresh Start Trial) for low-income postpartum women to be delivered via Facebook.…”