Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Women’s perceived social support: Associations with post partum weight retention, health 
behaviors and depressive sympt oms 
 
Version: 0 Date: 17 Aug 2019  
 
Reviewer: Lin Zhu  
Reviewer's report:  
This study examines the association between perceived social support from partner and family 
and various factors related to weight retention at 12 months pos tpartum among 1356 women. 
The research question was clearly statement, methodology well presented; the findings were 
meaningful for future research and policy.  
 
Several minor issues could be addressed for the authors to further improve the quality of this 
manuscript.  
 
1. In the 'covariates' section, the authors are encouraged to provide more details on how the 
covariates are measured.  
2. Regarding the study sample, it is a predominantly sample, highly educated, with a high 
household income (68% with 70k ann ual income), as the authors noted briefly. However, it 
would be helpful for readers, esp future researchers, that the authors provide some discussions on 
what the association might look like for less privileged groups. Are there any plans to conduct 
this s tudy in different populations?  
3. Among 2,128 women who delivered a live infant, only 1,443 completed a questionnaire at 6 -
m postpartum. This is an issue worthy addressing. Hhow many of the 2,128 women were 
contacted by the research team? What are their re asons of refusing to participate (or dropping 
out)? This issue speaks to potential selection bias of the study sample.  
4. More descriptive statistics should be presented on partner support and family support, 
including range and standard deviation. Are the  distributions skewed? This is important as it 
affects the regression analysis results.  
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your commen ts to the authors.   
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statisti cs 
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the qua lity of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salar y from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publicati on of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content of th e 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has  applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I decla re that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing inter ests. 
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included 
on my rep ort to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creat ive Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editor s, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal