Use of MyPyramid Menu Planner for Moms in a weight-loss intervention during lactation

The Internet offers a valuable resource for promotion of healthy eating and Web-based communication between the dietetics practitioner and client. In a 16-week intervention examining the effects of energy restriction (500 kcal/day) and exercise on body composition in overweight/obese lactating women, MyPyramid Menu Planner for Moms was used to support dietary counseling. Random assignment occurred at 4 weeks postpartum to either an Intervention group (n=14) or Minimal Care group (n=13) from 2008 through 2010. Three 24-hour dietary recalls were obtained using the Nutrition Data System at 4 and 20 weeks postpartum. Individual MyPyramid Menu Planner accounts were created for the Intervention group and used in face-to-face dietary counseling. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to test for differences between groups for change in dietary intake and weight. Changes in energy, saturated fat, and percent of energy from added sugars were significantly different between Intervention group and Minimal Care group (-613 [521] kcal vs -171 [435] kcal; P=0.03; -14.9 [14.0] g vs +0.9 [13.4] g; P<0.01; and -3.5% [5.3%] vs +2.2% [4.8%]; P<0.01, respectively). The Intervention group significantly increased their whole fruit servings and decreased their total grain and milk servings compared with the Minimal Care group (P<0.05). The Intervention group lost significantly more weight (-5.8 [3.5] kg) than the Minimal Care group (-1.6 [5.4] kg) (P=0.03). Although participants must have access to an Internet-based computer and possess basic food knowledge, these results suggest MyPyramid Menu Planner might prove to be an effective dietary counseling support tool for improving dietary intake and promoting weight loss during lactation.