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Randomized controlled trial to prevent excessive weight gain in pregnant women

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 1494–1502 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that normal‐weight women (BMI (body mass index) of 19.8–26.0) gain 25–35 lb (11.4–15.9 kg) during pregnancy, and that overweight women (BMI of 26.1–29.0) gain 15–25 lbs (6.8–11.4 kg). A significant number of normal‐weight women and an even greater proportion of overweight women exceed these guidelines, which increases postpartum weight retention and may contribute to the development of obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a stepped care, behavioral intervention will decrease the percentage of women who gain more than the IOM recommendation.

DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial comparing a stepped-care behavioral intervention with usual care. Women (n=120) who had a BMI>19.8, age>18 and <20 weeks gestation were recruited from a hospital-based clinic serving low-income women and randomized by race and BMI category to the intervention or control group. The intervention group received education about weight gain, healthy eating, and exercise and individual graphs of their weight gain. Those exceeding weight gain goals were given more intensive intervention. Women were followed through pregnancy to their first postpartum clinic visit. The main outcome measure was weight gain during pregnancy categorized as above the IOM recommendations vs below or within the IOM recommendations.

RESULTS: The intervention significantly decreased the percentage of normal-weight women who exceeded the IOM recommendations (33 vs 58%, P<0.05). There was a non-significant (P=0.09) effect in the opposite direction among overweight women (59% of intervention and 32% of control gained more than recommended). Postpartum weight retention was strongly related to weight gain during pregnancy (r=0.89).

CONCLUSIONS: The intervention reduced excessive weight gain during pregnancy among normal weight women.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Cathy DeBranski, RN-C for her help in recruiting and scheduling participants for this study. This work was funded by a grant from Magee-Womens Health Foundation; Magee-Womens Research Institute awarded to Dr Wing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    BA Polley & RR Wing

  2. Magee Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    CJ Sims

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  1. BA Polley
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  2. RR Wing
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  3. CJ Sims
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Correspondence to RR Wing.

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Polley, B., Wing, R. & Sims, C. Randomized controlled trial to prevent excessive weight gain in pregnant women. Int J Obes 26, 1494–1502 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802130

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