Preventing Obesity in Military Communities: Mother-Baby

Women with pre-pregnancy obesity, women who exceed recommended weight gain during pregnancy, and children who experience rapid and excess growth during the first year of life are all at risk for subsequent obesity. The purpose of this study is to examine creative cognitive strategies to promote healthy weight gain during pregnancy, creating a sound substrate of metabolic programming for the critical first six months of life. A trans-disciplinary approach utilizing a patient- and family-centered intervention and active patient engagement with counseling for positive gain will work with women to shape lifestyle during pregnancy and postpartum, and when feeding their infants in the first 6 months of life. It is hypothesized patient engagement with counseling for positive gains will successfully mitigate excess weight gain in both pregnancy and infancy compared to usual care. Moreover, data will be examined to assess whether psychological variables, work and school climate, and social support factors influence body weight gain trajectories and/or weight loss during and after pregnancy.