Physical activity and psychological well-being in obese pregnant and postpartum women attending a weight-gain restriction programme

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the differences in psychological wellbeing and quality of life during pregnancy and postpartum of obese physically active women and obese physically inactive women enrolled in a weight gain restriction program. We also wanted to explore whether physical activity influences weight change or health status during pregnancy.Design: A prospective intervention study. Setting: Antenatal care clinic.Participants: A total of 74 obese pregnant women in a physically active group and 79 obese women in a physically inactive group. Measurements:The women kept diaries of their physical activity during pregnancy and answered the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Medical Study Short-Form Health Survey in gestational week 15 and 35 and 11 weeks postpartum.Physical activity was measured in metabolic equivalents. Findings:The physically active women experienced fewer depressive symptoms and estimated an improved quality of life during their pregnancies as measured by physical functioning, bodily pain, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems and general mental health as compared with the physically inactive women. There were no differences between the groups in gestational weight gain or weight change from early pregnancy to postpartum or in prevalence of complications.Key conclusions: Physical activity among obese pregnant women provides better psychological wellbeing and improved quality of life, but does not prevent weight change. Implications for practice:Staff at Antenatal Care Clinics that face obese pregnant women, should encourage and emphasize the benefits of being physically active throughout pregnancy.

Mechanisms underlying the effects of prenatal psychosocial stress on child outcomes: beyond the HPA axis

“…It is also suggested that exercise decreases cortisol concentrations and enhances the production of serotonin, leading to less maternal sleep disturbances [110] and reduced maternal depression [111]. Indeed, positive effects of physical exercise on psychological wellbeing have been shown in pregnant obese women [112].…”

Obesity and anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum: A systematic review

“…To our knowledge, the 13 records were based on eight studies conducted in Australia Phillips et al, 2014aPhillips et al, , 2014b, Belgium (Bogaerts et al, 2013a(Bogaerts et al, , 2013b(Bogaerts et al, , 2013c, Sweden (Claesson et al, 2014(Claesson et al, , 2010, and the USA (Carter et al, 2000;Catov et al, 2010;Harville et al, 2009;Laraia et al, 2009;Webb et al, 2009). No study included population-based representative samples or reported cross-national data.…”

“…Thereof one was a randomized controlled trial (Bogaerts et al, 2013b). The others were non-randomized intervention studies (Claesson et al, 2014(Claesson et al, , 2010. Sample sizes varied from N ¼64 to N ¼ 1605.…”

Influencia del ejercicio físico durante el embarazo sobre el peso del recién nacido: un ensayo clínico aleatorizado.

“…Esta reducción puede deberse a las dudas que aparecen durante ese periodo; dudas que tienen tanto las mujeres como los profesionales sanitarios sobre la conveniencia del ejercicio físico durante la gestación, el tipo de ejercicio, así como la frecuencia, la intensidad y la duración del mismo (7)(8)(9). Los últimos estudios han mostrado que el ejercicio físico de la mujer embarazada aporta beneficios no solo para la madre sino también para el feto y disminuye el riesgo de macrosomía (10), lo que acaba facilitando un parto más fisiológico (11).…”