Changes in food choice during a successful weight loss trial in overweight and obese postpartum women

Objective To examine changes in intake across food groups during a weight loss trial that produced significant and sustainable weight loss in lactating women receiving dietary treatment. Methods At 10‐14 wk postpartum, 61 overweight and obese lactating Swedish women were randomized to a 12‐wk dietary (D), exercise (E), combined (DE), or control (C) treatment. Food intake was assessed by 4‐d weighed diet records which were used to examine changes in intake across seven food groups from baseline to 12 wk and 1 y after randomization. Differences in changes in food choice between women receiving dietary treatment (D+DE) and no dietary treatment (E+C) were examined using multivariate linear regression. Results At baseline, sweets and salty snacks contributed to 21±10 percent of total energy intake (E%). During the intervention period, women receiving dietary treatment reduced their E% from sweets and salty snacks and caloric drinks and increased their E% from vegetables more than did women not receiving dietary treatment (all P