TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of pre-pregnancy physical activity and maternal BMI on gestational weight gain and birth weight
AU - Löf, Marie
AU - Hilakivi-Clarke, Leena
AU - Sandin, Sven
AU - Weiderpass, Elisabete
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Background. Western women frequently exhibit excessive gestational weight gain (GWG). The effects of maternal physical activity level (PAL) and body mass index (BMI) on the timing of GWG are insufficiently known. Purpose. To assess the impact of pre-pregnancy PAL and BMI on GWG during the second and third trimester and on birth weight. Methods. Body weight was measured in 223 healthy Swedish women in gestational weeks 12, 25 and 33, and GWG during the second (weeks 12-25) and third trimesters (weeks 25-33) was determined (kg/week). PAL was assessed using a questionnaire. Birth weights were obtained from birth records. The results were evaluated by the fitting of linear statistical models. Results. Some 50 and 80% of the women exhibited excessive GWG during the second and third trimesters, respectively. Women with a high pre-pregnancy PAL gained 0.10 kg/week (p=0.04) less weight during the third trimester than women with a medium PAL. A 5 kg/m2 higher BMI was associated with a 0.06 kg/week lower GWG in the second trimester (p=0.005), but with a 0.05 higher GWG in the third trimester (p=0.03). Maternal BMI (p=0.014) and total GWG (p=0.05) correlated with birth weight. Conclusions. High BMI and low pre-pregnancy PAL were associated with excessive GWG. BMI and GWG, but not pre-pregnancy PAL, were linked to birth weight. However, together with smoking, parity, education and age, pre-pregnancy PAL and BMI explained only 4% of the variation in GWG. Thus, identification of other factors that could explain excessive GWG is an important area of future research.
AB - Background. Western women frequently exhibit excessive gestational weight gain (GWG). The effects of maternal physical activity level (PAL) and body mass index (BMI) on the timing of GWG are insufficiently known. Purpose. To assess the impact of pre-pregnancy PAL and BMI on GWG during the second and third trimester and on birth weight. Methods. Body weight was measured in 223 healthy Swedish women in gestational weeks 12, 25 and 33, and GWG during the second (weeks 12-25) and third trimesters (weeks 25-33) was determined (kg/week). PAL was assessed using a questionnaire. Birth weights were obtained from birth records. The results were evaluated by the fitting of linear statistical models. Results. Some 50 and 80% of the women exhibited excessive GWG during the second and third trimesters, respectively. Women with a high pre-pregnancy PAL gained 0.10 kg/week (p=0.04) less weight during the third trimester than women with a medium PAL. A 5 kg/m2 higher BMI was associated with a 0.06 kg/week lower GWG in the second trimester (p=0.005), but with a 0.05 higher GWG in the third trimester (p=0.03). Maternal BMI (p=0.014) and total GWG (p=0.05) correlated with birth weight. Conclusions. High BMI and low pre-pregnancy PAL were associated with excessive GWG. BMI and GWG, but not pre-pregnancy PAL, were linked to birth weight. However, together with smoking, parity, education and age, pre-pregnancy PAL and BMI explained only 4% of the variation in GWG. Thus, identification of other factors that could explain excessive GWG is an important area of future research.
KW - Birth weight
KW - Body mass index
KW - Gestational weight gain
KW - Physical activity level
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U2 - 10.1080/00016340802012288
DO - 10.1080/00016340802012288
M3 - Article
C2 - 18446535
AN - SCOPUS:43049101987
SN - 0001-6349
VL - 87
SP - 524
EP - 530
JO - Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica
JF - Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica
IS - 5
ER -