healthneutral

How Women Stay Active After Having a Baby

USASaturday, January 3, 2026
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Researchers examined how women maintain activity levels and reduce sedentary time after childbirth. The study involved over 2,800 U.S. women between 2 to 7 years postpartum.

Key Findings

  • 37.8% of women met recommended activity levels and sat for less than 3 hours daily.
  • Healthier habits (better diet, lower BMI, more sleep, less stress) correlated with higher activity and less sitting.
  • Lower-income women, those with less education, and full-time workers/students were less active and sat more.

Recommendations

Future programs should address these factors and support women facing economic, educational, and work-related challenges.

Methodology

  • Cross-sectional, secondary analysis
  • Self-reported data on physical activity and sedentary behavior
  • Multinomial logistic regression to identify influencing factors

Limitations

  • Self-reported data may be inaccurate.
  • U.S.-focused study may not apply globally.

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