Leveraging Opportunities for Postpartum Weight Interventions

Approximately 20 million US women are considered overweight or obese. African American women share a disproportionate burden of obesity. To date, few studies have assessed the effects of behavioral interventions, tailored to the specific lifestyle challenges of postpartum African American women. Efforts to address the disparate rates of obesity in African American women should include assessment of knowledge and knowledge gaps, development and testing of behavioral interventions, and translation of evidence into clinical practice. Developing interventions that are tailored to this vulnerable group of women and promoting policies that can begin to address the health consequences in African American women is a public health priority.