Effectiveness of an intervention focusing on diet and walking during pregnancy in the primary health care service.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention promoting leisure-time walking and a healthy diet during antenatal care to mitigate negative outcomes of a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet during pregnancy.
Results Summary
The intervention increased leisure-time walking during the second and third trimesters, tripling the proportion of pregnant women achieving the recommended 150 minutes per week of walking. It also reduced the risk of consuming soft drinks and processed cookies in the third trimester.
Population
Pregnant women receiving antenatal care in health care units following the Family Health Strategy model (intervention group) versus the traditional model (control group).
Effective Dosage
150 minutes per week of walking (recommended).
Duration
Each trimester of pregnancy (approximately 9 months total).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
intervention that promoted healthy diet and leisure-time walking during antenatal care | increase | leisure-time walking | pregnant women | - | positive effects | #1 |
intervention that promoted healthy diet and leisure-time walking during antenatal care | increase | leisure-time walking | pregnant women | - | positive effects | #2 |
intervention that promoted healthy diet and leisure-time walking during antenatal care | increase | women who achieved 150 minutes per week of walking | pregnant women | - | positive effects | #3 |
intervention that promoted healthy diet and leisure-time walking during antenatal care | decrease | consuming soft drinks and/or commercially prepared cookies | pregnant women | - | reduced the risk | #4 |
lifestyle intervention | increase | pregnant women who achieved the recommended walking time | pregnant women | tripling | tripling the proportion | #5 |
lifestyle intervention | decrease | women who had a high weekly consumption of soft drinks and industrially processed cookies | pregnant women | by half | reducing by half the proportion | #6 |
Interventions during prenatal care can mitigate negative outcomes of a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet during pregnancy. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention that promoted healthy diet and leisure-time walking during antenatal care in a pragmatic, controlled, non-randomized intervention study. Physicians and nurses from all health care units of the Family Health Strategy model of health assistance participated in educational training to promote leisure-time walking and healthy diet during antenatal care visits. Pregnant women who received health care from these professionals constituted the intervention group (n = 181). The control group (n = 172) included pregnant women who received routine antenatal care, in health care units of the traditional model of health assistance. Data were collected in each trimester of pregnancy. Diet was investigated using a food frequency questionnaire adapted from Risk and Protective Factors Surveillance System for Chronic Non-Comunicable Diseases Through Telephone Interview (Vigitel). Leisure-time walking in a typical week was assessed using questions from the Physical Activity in Pregnancy Questionnaire. There were positive effects on leisure-time walking during the second trimester and the third trimester of pregnancy and on the women who achieved 150 minutes per week of walking during the third trimester. The intervention reduced the risk of pregnant women consuming soft drinks and/or commercially prepared cookies in the third trimester. This lifestyle intervention was partially effective, tripling the proportion of pregnant women who achieved the recommended walking time and reducing by half the proportion of women who had a high weekly consumption of soft drinks and industrially processed cookies.