Personalized Mobile Health Intervention for Health and Weight Loss in Postpartum Women Receiving Women, Infants, and Children Benefit: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Background: Prepregnancy maternal obesity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy lead to significant morbidities in mothers and their children. Mothers who never return to their prepregnancy weight begin subsequent pregnancies at a greater weight and have a larger propensity for excess gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention. Methods: In this pilot study, 40 postpartum women credentialed to receive postpartum women, infants, and children (WIC) service were randomized to usual care ("WIC Moms") or a personalized health intervention delivered via a SmartPhone ("E-Moms"). Assessments, including body weight, vital signs, circumferences, and body composition, were completed at week 0 (6-8 weeks postpartum), week 8, and week 16. Results: Results are presented as change from week 0 at 16. As per the completers analysis, body weight change was not different between the groups (WIC Moms vs. E-Moms; 1.8 +/- 0.9 vs. -0.1 +/- 0.9 kg; p = 0.10), neither was the change in percent body fat (1.7 +/- 0.6 vs. 0.1% +/- 0.6%; p = 0.90) or waist/hip ratio (-0.01 +/- 0.01 vs. -0.02 +/- 0.01 cm; p = 0.60). However, due to notable variability in intervention adherence as the study progressed, participants were classified post hoc as having low (< 40% adherence), medium (40%-70% adherence), or high adherence (> 70% adherence). Participants with high intervention adherence (n = 5) had a significant reduction in body weight (-3.6 +/- 1.6 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.9 kg; p = 0.005) and percent body fat (-2.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 1.7% +/- 0.6%; p = 0.001) when compared to WIC Moms. Conclusions: Overall, the E-Moms intervention was not able to decrease postpartum weight retention in women receiving WIC benefits compared to usual care received through the current WIC program. However, there is some evidence to suggest improved adherence to the intervention would improve weight management.