Microbiology, Antibiotics and Public Health

Biography

Dr. Nermeen El Beltagy MD, PhD, MS, MPH, Professional C is a Professor of in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandria University, Egypt. She is a member of the International weight management in pregnancy (I-WIP collaborators of the European Union). She received her medical degrees from Egypt, but the PhD in environmental health, and MPH in epidemiology degrees were from Saint Louis University in the USA. She earned her Professional Certificate in women's heath from Exeter University, UK. she participated in the Risk Communication Challenges workshop”, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, May 2003 and, attended “Evidence Based Public Health workshop”, CDC, March 2003.

Abstract

Introduction: Gestational weight gain(GWG) along with weight retention 1 year postpartum is associated with long-term obesity. Assessment of potential risky dietary behaviors might prevent weight retention and obesity.

Aim: To determine the effect of breakfast intake, beverages and snake among postpartum females attending family health centers in Alexandria on the body mass index at one year after delivery.

Methods: One hundred postpartum cases with BMI>25 at one year after delivery were matched with one hundred normal weight control mothers for age between January and December 2014.  All study participants were interviewed and dietary behavior was assessed using the Snack and Beverage Food Frequency Questionnaire (SBFFQ).Seven days recall of breakfast and snack intake was done.  Mothers’ intake of certain sweet and salty items during the prior seven days was assessed by asking how many days, how many times per day, and how much of the item the mother consumes. Finally, the intake was converted into the total calories consumed for each individual item and was summed to obtain the total daily caloric intake.

Results : Almost half (51%) of overweight and obese mothers ate breakfast six to seven days per week compared to almost one two third( 68% )of the females with normal BMI . GWG was between 8-16 kg in the cases while the range in the normal weight mothers was between 9-14 kg. Women with BMI>25 consumed 937 higher calories per week from salty snake and sweetened drinks, and a lower BMI compared to normal weight mothers (p<0.05). The mean caloric intake in overweight and obese mothers per day was2367.25 ± 572.91 compared to 1430.63 ± 333.23 in females with normal body weight (p<0.05).

Conclusion: More effort is needed to motivate regular breakfast intake and dietary behavior modification among postpartum mothers.