Get Active and Eat Right: Moms at Work (GEM)

This project is a research study investigating the effects of a worksite diet and exercise intervention on weight loss in overweight postpartum women. Weight loss programs have been shown to be effective in reducing postpartum weight retention. However, high attrition rates in these studies suggest that the added responsibility of a new infant at home and returning to work may limit a woman's ability to follow a diet plan and exercise regularly. We hope that by offering a weight loss program at the workplace, we can increase participant retention and maximize weight loss in this population. Our primary aim is to promote weight loss while preserving lean body mass during the 12 week intervention. Secondary aims include increasing cardiovascular fitness from baseline and improving cardiovascular biomarkers, including total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and markers of inflammation and metabolism.