Study on Online Behavioral Intervention for Pregnancy Weight Gain
Introduction to Pregnancy Weight Gain
A recent study investigated the effectiveness of an online behavioral intervention program aimed at preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy. It is typical for women to gain weight during pregnancy due to fetal growth and bodily changes. However, gaining too much weight can pose risks for both mothers and babies, including the potential development of obesity later in life. In the United States, a 2015 estimate indicated that approximately 39% of women with a “normal” weight, 61% of overweight women, and 55% of obese women exceeded the recommended weight gain during pregnancy.
Potential of E-Health Interventions
Diet and exercise interventions have demonstrated their ability to mitigate the risk of excessive pregnancy weight gain. E-health interventions present an opportunity to enhance these programs; however, their effectiveness has not been thoroughly evaluated. An initial report from a randomized controlled trial assessing an e-health intervention to curb excessive pregnancy weight gain was recently published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.
Testing the Online Behavioral Intervention Program
Study Design and Participants
The study involved over 1,600 healthy pregnant women aged 18 to 35, with body mass indexes (BMIs) ranging from 18.5 to 35, recruited before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a control group with access to a pregnancy health website only; an e-health intervention group during pregnancy; and another e-health intervention group during pregnancy followed by 12 months post-birth. The comprehensive study aims to analyze weight gain patterns during pregnancy and weight loss within the first year after childbirth, while this initial report focuses on findings during pregnancy.
Intervention Details
Participants in the control group had access to a password-protected website and mobile platform, which included articles and information promoting healthy lifestyles during pregnancy, a blogging tool, and event reminders. The two intervention groups accessed a similar website along with three behavior change tools: a weight gain tracker, a diet goal-setting tool, and a physical activity goal-setting tool. These tools constituted the active components of the intervention.
All participants received weekly reminders to log into the website, but they were free to choose how to utilize the resources and behavioral tools. Data were collected at the initial screening and through additional online surveys conducted before 28 weeks of pregnancy and after 32 weeks.
Findings of the Initial Analysis
Comparison of Weight Gain
The initial analysis revealed that approximately 48% of women in the intervention groups and 46% in the control group experienced excessive pregnancy weight gain, with no significant differences observed among the three groups.
Usage of Behavioral Tools
The e-health behavioral intervention did not affect the percentage of women with excessive weight gain. Researchers noted low engagement with the behavior change tools in the intervention groups, which may explain the lack of observed differences. Ongoing trials in this field may provide alternative strategies to prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
Conclusion and Reference
The findings underscore the need for further research in the area of e-health interventions for managing weight during pregnancy.
Written by Julie McShane, Medical Writer.
Reference: Olson CM, Groth SW, Graham ML, et al. The effectiveness of an online intervention in preventing excessive gestational weight gain: the e-moms roc randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2018) 18:148. Doi:10.1186/s12884-018-1767-4.