Dietary patterns and their associations with postpartum weight retention: results of the MINA cohort study

Purpose To examine the association of prepregnancy dietary patterns with postpartum weight retention at 6 months (PPWR 6 ) among Lebanese and Qatari women. Methods Data for this study were derived from the Mother and Infant Nutrition Assessment (MINA) prospective cohort study conducted in Lebanon and Qatar. Pregnant women were recruited during their first trimester and were followed up for three years. For the purpose of this study, data belonging to sociodemographic characteristics of participants, prepregnancy dietary intake, prepregnancy BMI as well as weight retention at 6 months were used. Dietary intake was examined using a 98-item food frequency questionnaire. Principal component analysis was used for the derivation of dietary patterns. The associations of dietary patterns with PPWR 6 were examined using simple and multiple linear regressions. Results Data was available for 177 participants (Lebanon: 93; Qatar: 84). Mean PPWR 6 was 4.05 ± 5.29 kg. Significantly higher PPWR 6 was observed among participants with pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and among those with excessive gestational weight gain. Two dietary patterns were identified: the “Western” and the “Varied” patterns. After adjustment for confounders, a positive association was observed between the ‘Western’ pattern scores and PPWR 6 (ß = 1.27; 95% CI 0.68–1.86; p value: < 0.0001). Conclusion Higher adherence to the Western pattern was associated with higher PPWR 6 amongst women, hence underscoring the importance of public health interventions aimed at fostering healthier dietary habits during this crucial stage of the lifecycle.