Associations of dietary inflammatory potential with postpartum weight change and retention: Results from a cohort study

Objective This study examined the associations of Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) with weight outcomes within 1 year post partum. Methods This analysis included women who participated in a cohort study in South China (n = 468). The assessments included maternal height, weight, and dietary intake. The latter variable was based on three consecutive 24-hour food records collected at 2 weeks and 1 year after childbirth and was used to calculate the energy-adjusted DII (EDII) scores during and after puerperium, respectively. A general linear regression was performed to examine the relationships between the EDII scores and postpartum weight outcomes after adjusting for confounders. Results In an analysis adjusted for confounders, the EDII during puerperium was positively associated with the weight change from 3 to 42 days (beta: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.11-0.70). The EDII after puerperium was positively correlated with the weight changes from 42 days to 1 year (beta: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.02-1.02) and from 3 days to 1 year (beta: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.13-1.14), as well as with the postpartum weight retention at 1 year after childbirth (beta: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.29-1.22). Conclusions The results indicate that a diet with a high EDII score might minimize postpartum weight loss and promote higher postpartum weight retention.