Abstract
Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) has significant public health implications due to the increased risk of birth complications and cesarean section, and ultimately, increased rates of long-term obesity for the mother. Furthermore, exceeding GWG recommendations is harmful to the offspring as well, conferring increased risk of childhood and adult obesity. This suggests that pregnancy is a critical period of time to affect weight outcomes across generations. Unfortunately, the majority of US women exceed the Institute of Medicine guidelines for recommended GWG. In this chapter, we discuss prenatal physical activity, including current recommendations, pregnant women's levels of activity, and interventions to attempt to improve engagement. In addition, we discuss other predictors of GWG, evidence for GWG interventions, and recommendations for future approaches.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Title of host publication | Handbook of Fertility |
Subtitle of host publication | Nutrition, Diet, Lifestyle and Reproductive Health |
Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
Pages | 173-182 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128009932 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780128008720 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 27 2015 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Medicine