Mielke GI, Crochemore-Silva I, Domingues MR, Silveira MF, Bertoldi AD, Brown WJ. Physical Activity and Sitting Time From 16 to 24 Weeks of Pregnancy to 12, 24, and 48 Months Postpartum: Findings From the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study.
J Phys Act Health 2021;
18:587-93. [PMID:
33863852 DOI:
10.1123/jpah.2020-0351]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Physical activity levels decrease during pregnancy, and the time course of return to prepregnancy levels is unclear. This study aimed to describe changes in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and sitting time from 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy to 12, 24, and 48 months postpartum in women with different education levels in Brazil.
METHODS
Data from 4000 mothers of children enrolled in the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort were analyzed. The women were interviewed between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy and when their children were aged 12, 24, and 48 months. The LTPA and sitting time were self-reported.
RESULTS
Only 15.7% of the women reported any LTPA during pregnancy; this declined to 7.9% at 12 months postpartum; it was 16.8% at 24 months and 23.2% at 48 months. On average, participants spent a mean (SD) of 6.4 (3.9), 4.2 (3.2), 4.3 (3.3), and 4.4 (3.3) hours per day sitting during pregnancy, and at 12, 24, and 48 months after the birth, respectively. Both any LTPA and high sitting (8+ h/d) were consistently higher among women with higher education.
CONCLUSION
After 24 months postpartum, LTPA levels had returned to or exceeded pregnancy levels, but sitting time remained lower than during pregnancy.
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