Behavioral Interventions for Weight Management in Pregnancy
Author Information
Author(s): Fiona Campbell, Maxine Johnson, Josie Messina, Louise Guillaume, Elizabeth Goyder
Primary Institution: School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield
Hypothesis
This systematic review sought to assess the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to prevent excessive weight gain in pregnancy.
Conclusion
Despite intense and often tailored interventions, there was no statistically significant effect on weight gain during pregnancy.
Supporting Evidence
- Five controlled trials and eight qualitative studies were included in the review.
- The overall pooled effect size found no significant difference in gestational weight gain.
- Subgroup and sensitivity analysis did not identify contextual elements that influenced the effectiveness of the intervention.
- Women reported inadequate and contradictory information regarding healthy weight management.
- Interventions need to address the complex social factors influencing weight management in pregnancy.
Takeaway
The study looked at ways to help pregnant women manage their weight, but found that the methods used didn't really work.
Methodology
A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence, including a meta-analysis of controlled trials and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.
Potential Biases
Health professionals felt uncomfortable addressing weight management with overweight or obese women, which may have affected the interventions' effectiveness.
Limitations
The small number of studies and the lack of interventions conducted in the UK limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Participants were women aged 18 and over, with varying pre-pregnancy BMI, and included both normal weight and overweight/obese women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
-0.28
Confidence Interval
-0.64 to 0.09
Statistical Significance
p = 0.02
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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