Table 2.

Percentage of women classified with substantial postpartum weight retention (weighing ≥ 5 kg above pre-pregnancy weight at postpartum measurement) in pregnancy cohort studies (n >500)

Author, Year, Country, Years Data Collected	Sample Size	Age Range (years)	Time of Postpartum Measurement	Overweight Before Pregnancy (%)	SubstantialWeight Retention≥5 kg (%)
Schauberger, 1995, USA, 1989–1990	790 463	Not stated	6 wks 6 mos	Not reported	>16
Ohlin, 1990, Sweden, 1971–1984	1423	17–49	12 mos	7b	14
Keppel, 1993,a USA, 1988	2944	>15	10–18 mos	10b	>20
Greene, 1988,a USA, 1959–1965	7116	23 ± 11	Variable (between 2 pregnancies)	24d	~20
Gunderson, 2001, USA, 1980–1990	1300	18–41 (mean, 27)	Variable (between 2 pregnancies)	13b	18
Olson, 2003, USA, not stated	540	18 to >40	12 mos	41b	~20
Huang, 2008, Taiwan, 2004	602	30 ± 4	6 mos	19c	25
Gunderson, 2008, USA, 1999–2003	940	33 ± 5	12 mos	25b	13

^aSample includes teenagers.

^bDefined as BMI ≥ 26.

^cDefined as BMI ≥ 24.

^dDefined as >120% of ideal body weight for height.