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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323178
Title: A behavioral intervention to reduce excessive gestational weight gain

Author
item KRUKOWSKI, REBECCA - Tennessee Department Of Health
item WEST, DELIA - University Of South Carolina
item DICARLO, MARISHA - Arkansas Department Of Health
item SHANKAR, KARTIK - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item CLEVES, MARIO - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item TEDFORD, ERIC - Arkansas Department Of Health
item ANDRES, ALINE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Maternal and Child Health Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2016
Publication Date: 7/22/2016
Citation: Krukowski, R.A., West, D., Dicarlo, M., Shankar, K., Cleves, M.A., Tedford, E., Andres, A. 2016. A behavioral intervention to reduce excessive gestational weight gain. Maternal and Child Health Journal. DOI 10.1007/s10995-016-2127-5.

Interpretive Summary: Excessive weight gain during pregnancy has been linked to negative maternal and child health. This study investigated the efficacy of a behavioral intervention in preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy. 230 participants received 20-minute in-person behavioral intervention sessions every 6 weeks during pregnancy. This behavioral intervention was well-accepted and attenuated weigh gain during pregnancy among normal weight, overweight, and obese women, compared to usual care. However, a more intensive intervention may be necessary to help women achieve the recommended weight gain as described by the Institute of Medicine guidelines.

Technical Abstract: Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) is a key modifiable risk factor for negative maternal and child health. We examined the efficacy of a behavioral intervention in preventing excessive GWG. 230 participants (87.8% Caucasian, mean age= 29.1 years; second parity) completed the 36 week gestational week visit for the longitudinal Glowing study (clinicaltrial.gov #NCT01131117). Participants received 20-minute in-person behavioral intervention sessions every 6 weeks during pregnancy. Gestational weight was assessed at every intervention session. To determine the efficacy of the intervention in comparison to usual care, participants were compared to a matched contemporary cohort group from the Arkansas Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey (PRAMS). Results: Participants attended 98% of intervention sessions. Based on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines adjusted for gestational age, 32.3% of normal weight participants, 71.1% of overweight women and 56.6% of obese women gained weight excessively during pregnancy. There were no significant differences in the rate of excessive GWG between the Glowing participants and matched PRAMS normal weight and overweight women. However, obese Glowing participants were less likely to gain excessively in comparison to the PRAMS women (p<0.05). In addition, Glowing participants in all weight categories had a significantly smaller mean weight gain above the guidelines (normal weight: 1.8 (1.4) kg; overweight: 4.4 (3.9) kg; obese: 3.8 (3.2) kg) in comparison to PRAMS participants (normal weight: 4.9 (3.3) kg; overweight: 6.2 (4.6) kg; obese: 7.8 (7.2) kg). This behavioral intervention was well-accepted and attenuated GWG among normal weight, overweight, and obese women, compared to usual care. Nevertheless, a more intensive intervention may be necessary to help women achieve GWG within the IOM guidelines.