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A Cross Sectional Comparison of Predisposing, Reinforcing and Enabling Factors for Lifestyle Health Behaviours and Weight Gain in Healthy and Overweight Pregnant Women

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Abstract

Objectives Little is known about the antecedents to dietary and physical activity behaviours that can support healthy gestational weight gain (GWG) across different weight status groups in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to use constructs common to dominant health behaviour theories to determine if predisposing, reinforcing and enabling factors for healthy eating, physical activity and weight gain differed between healthy and overweight pregnant women. Methods Pregnant women (n = 664) aged 29 ± 5 (mean ± SD) years were recruited at 16 ± 2 weeks gestation. Measures were self-reported pre-pregnancy weight, psychosocial constructs for healthy eating, physical activity and GWG and demographic data. Height was measured at 16 weeks. Psychosocial constructs were compared between women with pre-pregnancy weight status of healthy (BMI < 25 kg/m2) and overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Results Health behaviour intentions, positive outcome expectations and social support for healthy eating and physical activity were not different between healthy (66 %) and overweight (34 %) women. Overweight women had lower self-efficacy for healthy eating, physical activity and GWG (p < 0.001), higher negative outcome expectations for GWG (p = 0.004), and higher barriers to healthy eating (p = 0.002), and physical activity (p = 0.006). Conclusions for practice Both healthy and overweight women appear motivated to follow a healthy diet, exercise and avoid excess gestational weight during pregnancy. However many psychosocial factors associated with achieving these goals were different between healthy and overweight women. Health behaviour interventions tailored to overweight pregnant women should consider improving self-efficacy, providing support to overcome perceived barriers, validate positive changes made, and assist in managing negative expectations.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge New Beginnings Research staff and students for assistance with data collection, RBWH maternity outpatients’ staff for recruitment support, and the women who participated. Project funding was provided by the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) Foundation for the New Beginnings Healthy Mothers and Babies Study; RBWH Research Advisory Committee and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) provided PhD Scholarship funding (SdeJ 1017169); JN is funded by the Roberta Holmes Chair through the Australian Communities Foundation (Coronella sub-fund).

Authors’ Contribution

SdeJ conceived and designed the study with support from LD, LC and JN. SdeJ collected the data and performed the analysis. KM provided guidance on statistical analysis. All authors contributed to the interpretation of results, drafting of the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript for submission.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Level 2 James Mayne Building, Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD, 4029, Australia

    Susan J. de Jersey

  2. School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia

    Susan J. de Jersey, Kimberley Mallan & Lynne A. Daniels

  3. School of Psychology (Brisbane Campus), Australian Catholic University, 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo, QLD, 4014, Australia

    Kimberley Mallan

  4. Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Clinical School, School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, 4029, Australia

    Leonie Callaway

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Herston, QLD, 4029, Australia

    Leonie Callaway

  6. Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia

    Jan M. Nicholson

  7. Centre for Learning Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia

    Jan M. Nicholson

Authors
  1. Susan J. de Jersey
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  2. Kimberley Mallan
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  4. Lynne A. Daniels
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  5. Jan M. Nicholson
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Correspondence to Susan J. de Jersey.

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de Jersey, S.J., Mallan, K., Callaway, L. et al. A Cross Sectional Comparison of Predisposing, Reinforcing and Enabling Factors for Lifestyle Health Behaviours and Weight Gain in Healthy and Overweight Pregnant Women. Matern Child Health J 21, 626–635 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2148-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2148-0

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