Demographic And Behavioral Factors Associated With Leisure Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior Patterns In Young Women 2-7 Years After Pregnancy

Moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and low sedentary behavior (SB) each promote health during the critical window after pregnancy. Identifying characteristics associated with MVPA-SB patterns could inform health promotion efforts. PURPOSE: To identify characteristics associated with leisure MVPA-SB patterns in young women after pregnancy. METHODS: Women in the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study completed a study visit 2-7 y after delivery of a first child. Leisure MVPA was reported on the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire and categorized as ‘active’ with ≥150 min/wk or ‘inactive’ otherwise. Leisure SB was measured by a single item and categorized as ‘high SB’ with ≥3 h/day or ‘low SB’ otherwise. ‘Optimal’ pattern was active + low SB; other joint patterns were inactive + low SB, active + high SB, and inactive + high SB (least optimal). Characteristics were demographic (age, education, employment, income, living with a partner, household size, insurance type) and behavioral (alcohol, smoking, cannabis, diet quality, sleep). Multinomial logistic regression calculated odds of MVPA-SB patterns across characteristics, with least optimal (inactive + high SB) as referent. RESULTS: Participants (n = 4,457; mean ± SD age 30.8 ± 5.6, 10% currently smoked, 29% with BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) most often had the optimal pattern (33%), with 27% inactive + low SB, 18% active + high SB, and 22% least optimal. Older age, higher education, higher income, living with a partner, larger household size, and commercial insurance were associated with higher odds of healthier MVPA-SB patterns (vs. least optimal); current employment was only associated higher odds of inactive + low SB. Similarly, alcohol use, higher diet quality, 7-9 h sleep, and non-smoking were associated with higher odds of all healthier MVPA-SB patterns; current cannabis use had mixed associations. Odds of optimal vs. least optimal MVPA-SB were greatest across education categories (11.1 x greater odds for graduate degree vs. <high school; 95% CI, 6.5-19.1) and diet quality (11.5 x greater odds for highest vs. lowest quartile; 95% CI, 8.49-15.61). CONCLUSIONS: Numerous associations between demographic and behavioral characteristics with joint leisure MVPA-SB patterns identify specific subgroups with greater need for targeted activity promotion after pregnancy. Supported by: This research was supported by HL158652; U10-HL119991; U10-HL119989; U10-HL120034; U10-HL119990; U10-HL120006; U10-HL119992; U10-HL120019; U10-HL119993; U10-HL120018, and U01HL145358.