Translation of the diabetes prevention program lifestyle intervention for promoting postpartum weight loss among low-income women

Abstract

The Women Infants and Children (WIC) program is a promising venue in which to implement weight loss interventions for low-income postpartum women. The goals of this study were to describe formative steps to translate the DPP lifestyle intervention to be delivered to diverse low-income postpartum women who are served by the WIC program, and to present the results of a pilot trial of the intervention. The steps of intervention translation involved were the following: (1) building partnerships, (2) understanding the target setting, (3) understanding the target population, (4) re-designing the intervention, and (5) refining the intervention. The pilot trial was a single group pre/post test comparison among 27 overweight/obese postpartum WIC clients. The intervention resulted in an average weight loss of 4.6 lb at a 4-month follow-up (p = 0.004). A dose–response association between intervention attendance and weight loss was observed. This translation of the DPP for diverse low-income postpartum women has potential for widespread implementation.