The educational gradient of obesity increases among Swedish pregnant women: a register-based study

Temporal trends and educational inequalities in obesity, overweight and underweight in pre-pregnant women and their male partners: a decade (2010-2019) with no progress in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Trends in overweight and obesity among expectant parents can provide useful information about the family environment in which children will grow up and about possible social inequalities that may be passed on to them. Therefore, we aimed to assess whether the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity changed over time in pre-pregnant women and their male partners in northern Sweden, and if there were any educational inequalities.

METHODS

This study is based on cross-sectional data from a repeated survey of the population in Västerbotten, Sweden. The study population included 18,568 pregnant women and 18,110 male partners during the period 2010-2019. Multinomial logistic regression models were fitted separately for pregnant women and male partners to assess whether the prevalence of age-adjusted underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity had evolved between 2010 and 2019, and whether trends differed by educational level.

RESULTS

Among women, obesity prevalence increased from 9.4% in 2010 to 11.7% in 2019. Among men, it went from 8.9 to 12.8%. Educational inequalities were sustained across the study period. In 2019, the prevalence of obesity was 7.8 percentage points (pp) (CI = 4.4-11.3) higher among women with low compared to high education. The corresponding figure for men was 6.4 pp (CI = 3.3-9.6).

CONCLUSIONS

It is not obvious that the prevalence of obesity among parents-to-be will decrease under current dispositions. Public health policies and practice should therefore be strengthened.

Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and related factors: A cross-sectional analysis from the Japan Environment and Children's Study

Socioeconomic status and smoking are reportedly associated with underweight and obesity; however, their associations among pregnant women are unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether socioeconomic factors, namely educational attainment, household income, marital status, and employment status, were associated with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) categories, including severe-moderate underweight (BMI ≤ 16.9 kg/m2), mild underweight (BMI, 17.0-18.4 kg/m2), overweight (BMI, 25.0-29.9 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) among Japanese pregnant women using data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS). In total, pregnant women were included 96,751. Age- and parity-adjusted multivariable multinomial logistic regression analyses assessed socioeconomic factors and smoking associations with falling within abnormal BMI categories (normal BMI as the reference group). Lower education and lower household were associated with overweight and obesity, and, especially, lowest education and household income had relatively higher point estimate relative ratios (RRs) of 3.97 and 2.84, respectively. Regarding the risks for underweight, however, only junior high school education had a significantly higher RR for severely to moderately underweight. Regarding occupational status, homemakers or the unemployed had a higher RR for severe-moderate underweight, overweight, and obesity. Unmarried, divorced, or bereaved women had significantly higher RRs for mildly underweight status. Quitting smoking early in pregnancy/still smoking had higher RRs for all four not having normal BMI outcomes; however, quitting smoking before pregnancy had a higher RR only for obese individuals. Lower educational attainment and smoking are essential intervention targets for obesity and severe-moderate underweight prevention in younger women. Lower household income is also a necessary target for obesity.

Maternal early pregnancy body mass index and bipolar disorder in the offspring

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between maternal early pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and offspring bipolar disorder (BPD).

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide cohort study among 1,507,056 non-malformed singleton live-births in Sweden born 1983-2004. Using national registries with prospectively recorded information, we followed participants for a BPD diagnosis from ages 13 to up to 35 years. We compared BPD risks by early pregnancy BMI using hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) from adjusted Cox models. We also conducted sibling-controlled analyses among 874,047 full siblings.

RESULTS

There were 9970 BPD diagnoses. Risk of BPD was 0.72% through 25 years of age. Maternal early pregnancy BMI was positively associated with offspring BPD risk. Compared with normal BMI (18.5-24.9), adjusted HR (95% CI) for overweight (BMI 25-29.9), obesity grade 1 (BMI 30-34.9), and obesity grades 2-3 (BMI ≥35) were 1.08 (1.02, 1.15), 1.26 (1.14, 1.40), and 1.31 (1.07, 1.60), respectively. Adjusted HR per unit BMI was 1.015 (95% CI 1.009, 1.021). A similar trend was observed among siblings. Pregnancy and neonatal complications did not substantially mediate the association between maternal obesity (BMI ≥30) and offspring BPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal BMI ≥25 is associated with offspring BPD risk in a dose-response manner.

Exploring the socioeconomic disparities of maternal body mass index: a national study in France

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in various countries. Normal weight before pregnancy is important to protect maternal and newborn health. This study aimed to describe the evolution of body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy in France and explore its association with two measures of socioeconomic status (SES), education and household income.

METHODS

Data were from four national perinatal surveys in France in 1998, 2003, 2010 and 2016 to describe the time evolution of maternal BMI. We explored the links between BMI and women's characteristics in the most recent period (2010-2016 surveys) since income information was not available before. Risk ratios (RRs) of underweight, overweight and obesity for each measure of SES were computed by using multivariable Poisson regression models.

RESULTS

Overweight and obesity prevalence increased between 1998 and 2016, from 6% to 12% for obesity. Both were inversely associated with SES (higher prevalence among least educated and poorest women), with strong variations for each social indicator, even in multivariable analyses including both. Combining education and income revealed a wide gradient; RR for obesity was 6.01 (95% confidence interval 4.89-7.38) with low education and income <2000 euros/month vs. high education and income ≥4000 euros/month.

CONCLUSIONS

Public policies must implement programs to limit the increase in overweight and its unequal distribution in the population, alongside other policies to address the societal determinants of the obesogenic environment. Health professionals need to advise women to improve their eating and physical activity to limit weight gain from childhood to early adulthood.

Is there an increased risk of cesarean section in obese women after induction of labor? A retrospective cohort study

Background

Obesity is increasing in Sweden and is also of huge global concern. Obesity increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and the need for the induction of labor. Induction of labor increases the number of complications during delivery, leading to women with more negative birth experience. This study investigated how maternal body mass index (BMI) during antenatal care enrollment affects labor outcomes (proportion of cesarean section at induction of labor).

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of 3772 women with mixed parity and induction of labor at Soderhospital, Stockholm, in 2009–2010 and 2012–2013. The inclusion criteria were simplex, ≥34 gestational weeks, cephalic presentation and no previous cesarean section. The women were grouped according to BMI, and statistical analyzes were performed to compare the proportion of cesarean sections after induction of labor. The primary outcome was the proportion of cesarean section after induction of labor divided by group of maternal BMI. The secondary outcomes were postpartum hemorrhage >1000 ml, time of labor, fetal outcome data, and indication for emergency cesarean section.

Result

The induction of labor in women with a high BMI resulted in a significantly increased risk of cesarean section, with 18.4–24.1% of deliveries, depending on the BMI group. This outcome persisted after adjustment in women with BMI 25–29.9 (aOR 1.4; 95% CI; 1.1–1.7) and BMI 30–34.9 (aOR 1.5; 95% CI; 1.1–2.1). There was also a significantly higher risk for CS among primiparous women (aOR 3.6; 95% CI; 2.9–45) and if the newborn weighted ≥ four kilos (aOR 1.6; 95% CI; 1.3–2.0).

Conclusion

Our findings show that a higher BMI increased the risk of cesarean section after induction of labor in the groups with BMI 25–34.9. Parity seems to be the strongest risk factor for CS regardless other variables.

Inadequacy of gestational weight gain during high-risk pregnancies is not associated with household food insecurity

BACKGROUND

Inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with adverse outcomes in maternal and child health and can be enhanced by social inequalities, such as lower education and household food insecurity (HFI). Women are more vulnerable to HFI, which has been associated with negative health effects for pregnant women during the prenatal and puerperal periods, particularly in regard to the aggravation of pregnancy risks. This study investigated the association between sociodemographic characteristics and HFI with respect to adequacy of total GWG among women with high-risk pregnancies.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study that evaluated the total GWG of 169 pregnant women. The women were seen at a public university hospital in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Their sociodemographic and gestational characteristics and the Brazilian Scale of Domestic Food Insecurity were investigated. To estimate the total GWG, the difference between the patient weight at the last prenatal visit and the initial patient weight was verified, with both collected from the medical records of the pregnant women. The classification of the total GWG considered the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2009). A multinomial logistic regression model assessed the risk (odds ratio; OR) and confidence intervals (CI 95%)) of insufficient and excessive GWG with exposure to HFI and other covariates (p value <0.05).

RESULTS

Insufficient and excessive GWG were observed in 27.8% and 47.9% of the pregnant women, respectively. More than half of the women (74.6%) had a high education level. Exposure to mild HFI occurred in 44.2% of the women. After adjustment, the HFI was not associated with insufficient or excessive GWG. The educational level of women was the only variable significantly associated with a lower risk of GWG insufficiency (OR: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.01-0.89).

CONCLUSIONS

In this population, higher maternal education was a protective factor against insufficient GWG. We highlight the importance of additional health support and counseling for women in the most vulnerable social conditions, considering the importance of access to information for reducing health risks.

Social inequalities and trends in pre-pregnancy body mass index in Swedish women

Obesity rates in adolescence and young adulthood have increased in Sweden, reflecting global trends. To which extent this occurs across different socioeconomic strata has not been clarified. The aim of the present study was to investigate trends in social inequalities in body mass index (BMI) in young/mid-adulthood Swedish women. We obtained weight and height for all women aged 20–45 years, at their first registered pregnancy (< 12 weeks of gestation) in the Swedish Medical Birth Register 1982–2013 (1,022,330, mean age = 28.8 years), documenting education and county of residence. Trends in mean BMI and in the prevalence of BMI categories between 1982 and 2013 were estimated across education levels and geographical location. Overall, mean BMI increased from 22.7 kg/m² (SD 3.2) to 24.3 kg/m² (SD 4.4) between 1982 and 2013. Simultaneously, the prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) increased from 18.1 to 33.4% while that of moderate obesity (BMI ≥ 30 to < 35 kg/m²) and severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²) increased markedly from 3.4 and 0.4% to 7.4 and 3.1%, respectively. The prevalence of moderate and severe obesity more than doubled during the study period across all educational levels. In conclusion, BMI and moderate and severe obesity increased markedly among young/mid-adulthood Swedish women regardless of education with a widening gap between those with lower and higher education. These growing social inequalities in BMI are likely to cause a rising divide in serious health problems following early and long-lasting obesity.

A review of maternal overweight and obesity and its impact on cardiometabolic outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum

The rates of maternal overweight and obesity, but also excess gestational weight gain, are increasing. Pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia and delivery of a preterm or growth restricted baby, are higher for both women with overweight and obesity and women who gain excess weight during their pregnancy. Other conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome are also strongly linked to overweight and obesity and worsened pregnancy complications. All of these conditions place women at increased risk for future cardiometabolic diseases. If overweight and obesity, but also excess gestational weight gain, can be reduced in women of reproductive age, then multiple comorbidities associated with pregnancy complications may also be reduced in the years after childbirth. This narrative review highlights the association between maternal overweight and obesity and gestational weight gain, with gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, polycystic ovary syndrome and delivery of a preterm or growth restricted baby. This review also addresses how these adverse conditions are linked to cardiometabolic diseases after birth. We report that while the independent associations between obesity and gestational weight gain are evident across many of the adverse conditions assessed, whether body mass index or gestational weight gain is a stronger driving factor for many of these is currently unclear. Mechanisms linking gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery and polycystic ovary syndrome to heightened risk for cardiometabolic diseases are multifactorial but relate to cardiovascular and inflammatory pathways that are also found in overweight and obesity. The need for post-partum cardiovascular risk assessment and follow-up care remains overlooked. Such early detection and intervention for women with pregnancy-related complications will significantly attenuate risk for cardiovascular disease.

Early pregnancy overweight/obesity and length of residence among immigrants in Sweden: a pooled analysis of Swedish population registers between 1992 and 2012

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether the association between women's origin and early pregnancy overweight and obesity (OW/OB) varies by length of residence in Sweden.

DESIGN

This cross-sectional observational study used pooled Swedish population register data from 1992 to 2012. Logistic regression models were run to estimate odds ratios (OR) of early pregnancy OW/OB and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI), comparing Swedish-born and immigrants by length-of-residence categories while adjusting for covariates.

SETTING

Sweden.

PARTICIPANTS

In total, 1 771 821 pregnant women, 315 992 of whom were immigrants.

RESULTS

With longer residence in Sweden, more immigrant women from various origins exhibited higher odds of experiencing early OW/OB compared with Swedish-born women. Findings specifically showed increased odds of early pregnancy OW/OB with increasing length of residence for women born in Latin America, Europe-27 and Southeast Asia. For example, immigrant women from Latin America residing in Sweden for < 6 years showed similar odds as Swedish-born (OR≤ 5 years 0·92, 95 % CI 0·87, 0·98), while their longer residing counterparts showed higher odds than Swedish-born women (OR6-15 years1·21, 95 % CI 1·14, 1·28 and OR≥ 16 years 1·68, 95 % CI 1·59, 1·78). Mixed results were found for other origins.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study suggests that host country conditions might play an important role in explaining OW/OB among some groups of immigrant women. Although further studies are needed to disentangle the mechanisms that generate these health inequalities, policy efforts should focus on immigrant reception and early integration to prevent pregnancy-related OW/OB.

Impact of preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum culinary nutrition education interventions: a systematic review

CONTEXT

Frequent consumption of home-prepared meals is associated with higher diet quality in children and adults. Therefore, increasing the culinary skills of women and couples during their childbearing years may be an effective strategy for the prevention of overweight and obesity.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of culinary nutrition-education interventions for women with or without their partners during preconception, pregnancy, or postpartum (PPP) on parental cooking skills, nutrition knowledge, parent/child diet quality, or health outcomes.

DATA SOURCES

Eligibility criteria were defined using a PICOS framework. A systematic search strategy was developed to identify eligible studies and was implemented in 11 electronic databases. Reference lists of selected systematic reviews were manually searched for additional studies.

DATA EXTRACTION

Study characteristics and outcomes were extracted from eligible studies by 1 reviewer and checked by a second reviewer.

DATA ANALYSIS

A narrative synthesis of the findings of eligible studies was prepared including descriptive statistics. Reporting was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement and Synthesis Without Meta-Analysis in systematic reviews reporting guideline.

RESULTS

A total of 6951 articles were identified from the search strategy and 31 studies during pregnancy or postpartum were included. By category, the number of studies with a favorable outcome per total number of studies measuring outcome were as follows: parental food/cooking skills (n = 5 of 5), nutrition knowledge (n = 6 of 11), parent/child diet quality (n = 10 of 19), infant feeding (n = 6 of 11), eating behavior (n = 2 of 5), maternal (n = 2 of 5) and child anthropometry (n = 6 of 10), mental health and development n = (2 of 3), and clinical indictors (n = 1 of 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Culinary nutrition-education interventions during pregnancy and the postpartum period show promise in improving cooking skills, diet quality, and a variety of health-related outcomes. The precise effect of these interventions during PPP is limited by the quality and heterogeneity of study designs to date.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020154966.

Body mass index and gestational weight gain in migrant women by birth regions compared with Swedish-born women: A registry linkage study of 0.5 million pregnancies

Introduction

Women migrating to high-income countries may have increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes as compared with native-born women. However, little is known whether migrant women are more likely to have unhealthy body mass index (BMI) or gestational weight gain (GWG), which is of importance considering the well-established links between unhealthy BMI and GWG with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Hence, the aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and estimate odds ratios (ORs) of underweight and obesity in the first trimester as well as inadequate and excessive GWG across birth regions in migrant (first-generation) and Swedish-born women in a population-based sample of pregnant women in Sweden.

Methods

This population-based study included 535 609 pregnancies from the Swedish Pregnancy Register between the years 2010–2018. This register has a coverage of approximately 90% and includes data on body weight, height, birth country and educational attainment. BMI in the first trimester of pregnancy was classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity whereas GWG was classified as inadequate, adequate and excessive according to the recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine, USA. BMI and GWG were examined according to 7 birth regions and the 100 individual birth countries. Adjusted ORs of underweight, obesity as well as inadequate or excessive GWG by birth regions were estimated using multinomial logistic regression.

Results

There were large disparities in unhealthy BMI and GWG across birth regions. For instance, women born in North Africa and Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa had 1.40 (95% CI 1.35–1.44) and 2.13 (95% CI 2.03–2.23) higher odds of obesity compared with women born in Sweden. However, women born in Sub-Saharan Africa had also considerably higher odds of underweight (OR, 2.93 [95% CI 2.70–3.18]) and inadequate GWG (OR, 1.97 [95% CI 1.87–2.07]). The limitations of the study include the lack of a validated measure of acculturation and that the study only had data on first-generation migration.

Conclusions

The large differences across the 7 regions and 100 countries highlights the importance of considering birth region and country-specific risks of unhealthy BMI and GWG in first-generation migrant women. Furthermore, inadequate GWG was common among pregnant first-generation migrant women, especially in women born in Sub-Saharan Africa, which demonstrates the need to promote adequate GWG, not only the avoidance of excessive GWG. Thus, our findings also indicate that additional support and interventions may be needed for first-generation migrant women from certain birth regions and countries in order to tackle the observed disparities in unhealthy BMI and GWG. Although further studies are needed, our results are useful for identifying groups of women at increased risk of unhealthy BMI and weight gain during pregnancy.

The influence of socioeconomic status on gestational weight gain: a systematic review

Background

Despite a large number of publications regarding the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and gestational weight gain (GWG), the literature is inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review of current evidence relating to the association between SES and GWG, according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 guidelines.

Methods

Six electronic databases were searched, with the final search run on first July 2016. The PRISMA Statement guidelines were followed and a modified version of the RTI Item Bank was used to assess risk of bias within studies. The primary outcome was inadequate, adequate or excessive GWG, as per the IOM guidelines.

Results

Sixteen studies were included. There was a positive skew in the number of studies that indicated that those who are less well educated are most at risk of gaining weight outside of the recommendations. Other measures of SES were not significantly associated with GWG.

Conclusions

Low educational attainment is likely to be associated with women gaining outside the IOM recommendations for GWG. Healthcare providers should provide additional support to pregnant women who are most at risk of gaining outside the recommendations, thus reducing the gap in health inequalities between those of high and low SES.

Does maternal obesity explain trends in caesarean section rates? Evidence from a large Irish maternity hospital

BACKGROUND

A feature of contemporary obstetrics in wealthy countries has been both the continuing increase in caesarean section (CS) rates and the emergence of high levels of maternal obesity.

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the increasing CS rate in a large university maternity hospital was attributable in part to maternal obesity.

METHODS

We studied all women who delivered a baby weighing ≥ 500 g from 2009 to 2014 in one of the largest maternity hospitals in Europe. Logistic regression techniques were employed to examine the contribution of trends in maternal BMI on the prevalence of CS.

RESULTS

Obese women were more likely to be delivered by CS in 2014 than in 2009. Multivariate analysis shows that the increase in CS rates could not be explained by changes in obesity levels in either nulliparas or multiparas. The increase in CS rates during the 6 years was strongly associated with advancing maternal age, particularly for nulliparas.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found that although the prevalence of being overweight or obese changed little over the period, the odds of having a CS if a woman is obese have increased for multiparas. For nulliparas, increasing CS rates were found to be strongly associated with an increase in maternal age over the period which is important because of the evidence that Irish women are choosing to defer having their first baby until later in life.

"…or else I close my ears" How women with obesity want to be approached and treated regarding gestational weight management: A qualitative interview study

INTRODUCTION

The importance of helping pregnant women maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent excessive gestational weight gain is well recognized, but pregnant women do not always perceive communication about body weight as respectful or helpful. Furthermore, fear of inducing shame or guilt can prohibit some midwives from talking about body weight, especially if the woman has obesity. We aimed to explore what women of reproductive age with obesity regard to be the most important and relevant aspects when discussing gestational weight management.

METHODS

Qualitative interview study using focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews with 17 women of reproductive age (19-39 y) with obesity. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

We identified three themes: 1) Importance of obtaining vital medical information; 2) A wish to feel understood and treated with respect; 3) Midwives' approach is crucial in sensitive key situations, which include bringing up the subject of body weight, weighing, providing weight-related information, coaching lifestyle modification, dealing with emotional reactions and ending a conversation.

CONCLUSIONS

A majority of the interviewed women wished to receive information about risks about obesity and gestational weight gain, and recommendations on weight management. However, the risk of midwives offending someone by raising the topic may be increased if the pregnant woman believe that gestational weight gain is uncontrollable by the individual. Also, several situations during maternity care meetings can be stigmatizing and make women less receptive to advice or support. Women suggest that a good working alliance is likely to be achieved if midwives have knowledge about the causes of obesity, take interest in the patients' background, have a non-judgmental approach and refrain from giving unsolicited advice.

Preconception management of women with obesity: A systematic review

The prevalence of women of child-bearing age with obesity continues to rise at an alarming rate. This has significant implications for both the short-term and long-term health of mother and offspring. Given the paucity of evidence-based literature in this field, the preconception management of women with obesity is highly variable both between institutions and around the world. This systematic review aims to evaluate studies that inform us about the role of preconception weight loss in the fertility and pregnancy outcomes of women with obesity. Current therapeutic interventions are discussed, with a specific focus on the suitability of weight loss interventions for women with obesity planning pregnancy. There are significant knowledge gaps in the current literature; these are discussed and areas for future research are explored.

Country of birth and county of residence and association with overweight and obesity—a population-based study of 219 555 pregnancies in Norway

Background

The aim was to study the effect of country of birth, educational level and county of residence on overweight and obesity among pregnant women in Norway.

Methods

Observational study based on Medical Birth Registry Norway and Statistics Norway. The study population consisted of 219 555 deliveries in 2006–2014. Body mass index (BMI) was registered at the first antenatal care visit. Multivariate regression analysis was used to explore the study aims.

Results

Overweight (BMI 25–29.9) was recorded in 22.3% of the women, obesity (BMI ≥30) in 12.2%. Highest rates of overweight (30.8%) and obesity (13.5%) was recorded among women from the Middle East and North Africa or with no education (30.7% and 17.2%). The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 39.5% in sparsely populated counties and 26.4% for women living in Oslo. Adjusted for country of birth, education level, age, parity, smoking and marital status, the relative odds of overweight and obesity were 65% (95% CI 59–72%) higher in sparsely populated counties compared to Oslo.

Conclusions

The prevalence of overweight (BMI ≥25) was 34.5%. The factors associated with overweight were living in rural districts in Norway, lower education and being born in countries in the Middle East or Africa.

Estimated global overweight and obesity burden in pregnant women based on panel data model

Objective

To estimate the global and country-level burden of overweight and obesity among pregnant women from 2005 to 2014.

Methods

Publicly accessible country-level data were collected from the World Health Organization, the World Bank and the Food and Agricultural Organization. We estimated the number of overweight and obese pregnant women among 184 countries and determined the time-related trend from 2005 to 2014. Based on panel data model, we determined the effects of food energy supply, urbanization, gross national income and female employment on the number of overweight and obese pregnant women.

Results

We estimated that 38.9 million overweight and obese pregnant women and 14.6 million obese pregnant women existed globally in 2014. In upper middle income countries and lower middle income countries, there were sharp increases in the number of overweight and obese pregnant women. In 2014, the percentage of female with overweight and obesity in India was 21.7%, and India had the largest number of overweight and obese pregnant women (4.3 million), which accounted for 11.1% in the world. In the United States of America, a third of women were obese, and the number of obese pregnant women was 1.1 million. In high income countries, caloric supply and urbanization were positively associated with the number of overweight and obese pregnant women. The percentage of employment in agriculture was inversely associated with the number of overweight and obese pregnant women, but only in upper middle income countries and lower middle income countries.

Conclusion

The number of overweight and obese pregnant women has increased in high income and middle income countries. Environmental changes could lead to increased caloric supply and decreased energy expenditure among women. National and local governments should work together to create a healthy food environment.

Determinants of the self-efficacy of physical activity for maintaining weight during pregnancy: The application of the health belief model

INTRODUCTION

Pregnancy is one of the high-risk periods for women's health that the lack of attention to healthy behaviors such as weight control behaviors can lead to adverse consequences on the health of women and also the fetus. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to explore the determinants of weight control self-efficacy among pregnant women using Health Belief Model (HBM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study were enrolled 202 pregnant women referring to Health Care Center in Isfahan city, Iran. Sampling method was multistage random. A researcher-made instrument based on HBM structures was used after confirming the valid and reliable. Data were analyzed by software SPSS 21 and descriptive statistics were represented with (frequency, mean and standard deviation) and analytical (Pearson correlation, independent t and liner regression) at the significant level of <0.05.

RESULTS

The average age of participants was 27.80 ± 5.08. HBM structures were able explained 31% of variance of weight control self-efficacy. Also, of the studied structures, perceived benefits, perceived barriers were statistically significant predictors of weight control self-efficacy, within which perceived barriers (β = 0.391) was the most significant predictor.

CONCLUSION

The findings of current study showed that the HBM model could be as a suitable framework to identify effective factors for designing educational intervention to improve weight control behaviors among pregnant women.