Design: This study was a randomized, assessor-blind, controlled
trial. Participants were pregnant (13.5 wk gestation), normal-weight
(NW; n = 201) and overweight or obese (OW/OB; n = 200) women
whose average age was 28.8 y. Participants were randomly assigned
within the 1990 IOM weight category (NW compared with OW/
OB) to standard care (n = 200) or to a behavioral intervention to
prevent excessive gestational weight gain (n = 201). The intervention
included one face-to-face visit; weekly mailed materials that
promoted an appropriate weight gain, healthy eating, and exercise;
individual graphs of weight gain; and telephone-based feedback.
The retention at the 6-mo postpartum assessment was 82%.