The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that women who pack on the pounds while pregnant are more likely to become obese after delivery.
In general, these women gain an average of 44 pounds in the 21 years following their delivery. On the other hand, women who gained less weight while pregnant only gain an average of 21 pounds in 21 years.
Dr. Abdullah A. Mamun of the University of Queensland in Herston, Australia and colleagues looked at the body mass index (BMI) in 2,055 women who had delivered babies between 1981 and 1983.
Women who gained a lot of weight while pregnant were twice as likely to become overweight and four times more likely to become obese.
Researchers have established a clear link between pregnancy weight and a woman’s BMI. The impact was most significant when researchers considered the weight of women before pregnancy and the difference following delivery.
However, researchers state: "It remains controversial whether energy restriction should be advised to pregnant overweight women to control the potential risk of gaining excessive weight during pregnancy because such a restrictive diet can affect the growth of the fetus."