Adherence to the goals of a lifestyle intervention among overweight pregnant women and its effect on perinatal outcomes

Abstract

Studies that evaluate the adherence of lifestyle program in overweight pregnant women and its effect on maternal and neonatal outcomes are scarce. The objective of the present study will be to evaluate the adherence of the goals of a lifestyle intervention in pregnancy and investigate their effect on perinatal health outcomes. The present study is a randomized controlled clinical trial that will be conducted among overweight adult pregnant women attended at basic health units in Ribeirão Preto, SP. Participants will be allocated randomly to control (who will receive usual prenatal care) and intervention (who will receive three individualized sessions of dietary counseling and physical activity). The achievement of at least four of the five goals established by the study will be considered: greater frequency of consumption of "home-made food", vegetables and fruits and less frequency of consumption of soft drinks, "package food", as well as the regular practice of physical activity. Anthropometric, biochemical and lifestyle data will be obtained in the first (up to the 16th gestational week) and second (between the 34th and 36th gestational week) evaluations. The effect of adherence to goals on adequacy of the gestational weight gain rate (insufficient/adequate/excessive), variation of the maternal biochemical profile, type of delivery (vaginal/cesarean/forceps), premature birth (yes/no) and adequacy of birth weight (small for gestational age/adequate for gestational age/large for gestational age) will be investigated using linear regression, logistic or multinomial logistic models adjusted for confounding factors, depending on the characteristics of the variables.