The Effect of Maternal Physical Activity and Gestational Weight Gain on Placental Efficiency—Corrigendum

BACKGROUND Overweight and obese women’s excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) may be a health risk for both the mother and the fetus; excessive GWG leads to the retention of weight postpartum and thus obesity. Given the overwhelming number of existing pregnancy-related applications (apps), we lack only a few methodological guidelines for integrating theory, evidence and previously validated apps to help overweight and obese women manage their GWG during pregnancy. OBJECTIVE This two-phase study aimed to develop the MyHealthyWeight (MHW) app based on social-cognitive theory (SCT) and evaluate its effectiveness for overweight and obese women in helping prevent excessive GWG by enhancing adherence to optimal GWG goals and healthy behavior during pregnancy. METHODS First, we constructed and developed the MHW app based on SCT theory, and we later employed a mixed-method study to evaluate the effects of the app on overweight and obese pregnant women. RESULTS All participating overweight and obese pregnant women (100%) achieved their optimal GWG through increased self-efficacy and physical activity. Their total and moderate-intensity physical activity expenditures improved, while their sedentary and light-intensity levels of physical activity decreased. CONCLUSIONS This theory-based MHW app for weight management was greatly valued by the pregnant users. Its usefulness for health-care professionals in assisting overweight and obese pregnant women in preventing excessive GWG by promoting healthy behavior, in particular through physical exercise and a healthy diet, during pregnancy was also confirmed. CLINICALTRIAL NCT04553718

Download Full-text

Associations of the Neighborhood Built Environment with Gestational Weight Gain

American Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1730363 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

William A. Grobman ◽

Emma G. Crenshaw ◽

Derek J. Marsh ◽

Rebecca B. McNeil ◽

Victoria L. Pemberton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Gain ◽

Built Environment ◽

Gestational Weight Gain ◽

Grocery Stores ◽

Multinomial Regression ◽

Lower Odds ◽

Residential Address ◽

Gestational Weight ◽

Nulliparous Women

Objective This study aimed to determine whether specific factors of the built environment related to physical activity and diet are associated with inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG). Study Design This analysis is based on data from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-To-Be, a prospective cohort of nulliparous women who were followed from the beginning of their pregnancies through delivery. At each study visit, home addresses were recorded and geocoded. Locations were linked to several built-environment characteristics such as the census tract National Walkability Score (the 2010 Walkability Index) and the number of gyms, parks, and grocery stores within a 3-km radius of residential address. The primary outcome of GWG (calculated as the difference between prepregnancy weight and weight at delivery) was categorized as inadequate, appropriate, or excessive based on weight gained per week of gestation. Multinomial regression (generalized logit) models evaluated the relationship between each factor in the built environment and excessive or inadequate GWG. Results Of the 8,182 women in the analytic sample, 5,819 (71.1%) had excessive GWG, 1,426 (17.4%) had appropriate GWG, and 937 (11.5%) had inadequate GWG. For the majority of variables examined, built environments more conducive to physical activity and healthful food availability were associated with a lower odds of excessive or inadequate GWG category. For example, a higher number of gyms or parks within 3 km of a participant's residential address was associated with lower odds of having excessive (gyms: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.93 [0.89–0.96], parks: 0.94 [0.90–0.98]) or inadequate GWG (gyms: 0.91 [0.86–0.96]; parks: 0.91 [0.86–0.97]). Similarly, a higher number of grocery stores was associated with lower odds of having excessive GWG (0.94 [0.91–0.97]). Conclusion Among a diverse population of nulliparous women, multiple aspects of the built environment are associated with excessive and inadequate GWG. Key Points

Download Full-text

Greater energy demand of exercise during pregnancy does not impact mechanical efficiency

Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1139/apnm-2019-0450 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 493-499 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kathryn M. Denize ◽

Pegah Akbari ◽

Danilo Fernandes da Silva ◽

Francois Haman ◽

Kristi B. Adamo

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Gain ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Gestational Weight Gain ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Movement Pattern ◽

Late Pregnancy ◽

Mechanical Efficiency ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Gestational Weight

Pregnant women are recommended to engage in 150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity per week to reduce pregnancy complications. Many women struggle to remain physically active throughout pregnancy, and there is no consensus about whether women adopt a less efficient movement pattern as they progress through pregnancy and experience gestational weight gain. This study assessed the change in energy expenditure and mechanical efficiency in pregnant women (PREG; n = 10) when performing a walking treadmill task in early, mid, and late pregnancy and also compared with an age- and body mass index-matched, nonpregnant (CON; n = 10) group. On average, the PREG group gained within the Institute of Medicine’s gestational weight gain guidelines (11.6 ± 3.6 kg) and were all inactive (measured using accelerometry), except for 1 participant, by the third trimester, as per the 2019 Canadian physical activity guidelines for pregnant women. Energy expended to complete the walking task increased throughout pregnancy and was higher than the controls (111.5 ± 24.6 kcal) in mid and late pregnancy (139.0 ± 22.2 kcal, p = 0.02, and 147.3 ± 24.6 kcal, p = 0.005, respectively), but not early pregnancy (129.9 ± 18.9 kcal, p = 0.08). Walking mechanical efficiency was similar within pregnant women at each time point and compared to nonpregnant controls. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating that pregnant women can safely perform physical activity by showing that walking mechanical efficiency is unchanged at low to moderate intensities. Novelty Energy demand during exercise increases proportionally to weight gain across pregnancy trimesters. However, mechanical efficiency remains unchanged during low- to moderate-intensity walking.

Download Full-text

Effectiveness of Physical Activity Interventions on Pregnancy-Related Outcomes among Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16101840 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (10) ◽

pp. 1840 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Carmen W. H. Chan ◽

Elce Au Yeung ◽

Bernard M. H. Law

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Gain ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Gestational Weight Gain ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Gestational Weight ◽

Physical Activity Interventions ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Physical And Psychological Health

Regular physical activity has been demonstrated to contribute to physical and psychological health. Nevertheless, pregnant women generally exhibit low levels of physical activity. Implementation of interventions that enhance the self-efficacy of pregnant women on increasing physical activity is required. This paper provides an in-depth review of studies reporting the effect of various physical activity interventions dedicated for pregnant women on pregnancy-related issues, including gestational weight gain, pain and depression, physical activity level, and quality of life among these individuals. Five databases were used in searching the literature. Findings of the included studies were presented narratively, and appraisal of their methodological quality was conducted using the quality assessment tool developed by Effective Public Health Practice Project. Review findings demonstrated that physical activity interventions are effective in enhancing physical activity levels of pregnant women. Further, they are potentially useful in alleviating pregnancy-related pain and psychological symptoms, reducing gestational weight gain, and increasing self-efficacy in enhancing physical activity levels among these individuals. Nevertheless, inconsistencies in findings between studies hamper the drawing of firm conclusions on these latter outcomes. Overall, studies demonstrated a positive effect of physical activity interventions on the well-being and physical and psychological health of pregnant women.

Download Full-text