Exploration of theoretical models: postpartum weight retention in african american adolescents

Obesity presents a public health challenge and is a serious chronic medical condition, associated with multiple co-morbidities and reduced survivability and longevity. Obesity accounts for about 300,000 deaths each year and is expected to cost the United States healthcare system almost 237 million dollars within the next decade. African American adolescents who retain weight after pregnancy are at the highest risk of becoming obese adults with the potential to develop chronic diseases or serious illnesses. The author explores non-nursing and nursing theories that could guide needed research to help understand the barriers that prevent weight loss and raise the risk of obesity among postpartum adolescents. After the exploration, Orem's self-care theory was selected for the proposed study based on nursing interventions that could facilitate postpartum adolescents' self-care and weight control behaviors.