HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS IN POSTPARTUM WOMEN WITH HIGH BODY MASS INDEX IN URMIA CITY, IRAN

 Women of reproductive age, especially after giving birth, are prone to overweight. Excess weight in the postpartum period is a problem for public health. آealth promotion is a process that enables people to have control over their health and mostly emphasis on disease prevention and self-care abilities. Considering that women are at the center of family health and are the main model of teaching and promoting a healthy lifestyle to the next generation, this study aimed to determine the health-promoting behaviors in postpartum women with High Body Mass Index in Urmia City, Iran.

 In this cross-sectional study, 104 women who gave birth with a high body mass index, who were covered by health centers, were selected by available sampling method. The data collection tool was Standard Walker's Health Promotion Lifestyle Questionnaire, completed by self-report via WhatsApp. The data were then analyzed with SPSS-16 software, using descriptive and inferential statistics.

 The mean age of the participants in the above study was 27.07±5.96 years and their average BMI was 27.82±1.6 years. The total score of health-promoting behaviors was 110.42±10.66, which was at the desired level. The highest mean score was related to interpersonal relations subscale (20.42±2.75) and the lowest mean score was for physical activity subscale (15.01±2.25).

 In the current study, even though women's health-promoting behaviors are desirable, there is a need to promote health-promoting behaviors, especially in the field of eating habits and physical activity. Health education with various methods is a suitable tool to motivate and correct incorrect lifestyles. As a result, appropriate interventions to encourage health-promoting behaviors should be designed and implemented.