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Objective: To identify the risk factors that affect the postpartum weight retention among women and provide evidence for the prevention of obesity and metabolic disorders due to childbirth., Methods: The baseline data were collected from 1 220 postpartum women who had given childbirth 42 days ago in Hefei Maternal and Child Health Care Center, Anhui province. Their pre-pregnancy weight, weight gain during pregnancy and childbirth information were obtained from local maternal information management system, and the follow up for the women were conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after childbirth. The sedentary behaviors of the women were observed. The relationship between postpartum weight retention and sedentary behavior of the women were analyzed by mixed-effects model analysis and repeated measures analysis of variance., Results: The pre-pregnancy average body weight (kg) of the women was (53.22 ± 6.88), and their postpartum average body weight retention was (7.85 ± 5.11), (7.51 ± 5.40), (5.79 ± 5.18), (4.42 ± 4.91) and (3.26 ± 4.65) at 42 days, 3, 6, 9, 12 months later after childbirth, respectively. The differences in body weight retention at different times after childbirth indicated by repeated measures analysis of variance were statistical significant (P < 0.001). Mixed-effects model analysis showed the postpartum sedentary behavior and postpartum body weight retention was statistically associated after adjusting for pre-pregnancy BMI, feeding pattern, delivery mode and other confounding factors (P < 0.001), Mixed-effects model analysis results tended to be stable after step by step adjustment for confounding factors., Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that postpartum sedentary behavior is one of the important factors influencing postpartum weight retention.

Objective: To explore the relationship between pre-pregnancy BMI, antepartum weight gain and postpartum weight retention., Methods: 793 postpartum women from certain district of Hefei city were recruited as the observational cohort at 3rd month after delivery. We obtained antepartum information from pregnancy care management system and conducted questionnaire and measurement at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postpartum. The observation items included baseline data, antepartum weight, weight gain during pregnancy, weight of different timing during one year after delivery., Results: The proportion of pregnant women whose BMI back to normal during 3, 6, 9 and 12 months were respectively 61.92%, 68.73%, 78.18% and 84.24%. Pre-pregnancy BMI of women's weight gain and weight retention during 3, 6, 9 and 12 months differs. After comparing the differences between higher pre-pregnancy BMI group, medium pre-pregnancy BMI group and lower pre-pregnancy BMI group, the differences were statistically significant. There were independent effects between weight gain during pregnancy, time and postpartum weight recovery, but no interactions were shown between them., Conclusion: Pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain during pregnancy were important factors for postpartum weight retention. Using pre-pregnancy BMI as guidance to build reasonable weight gain during pregnancy might reduce the occurrence of postpartum weight retention and promote postpartum recovery.