Objectives To evaluate the effects of a counselling intervention on excessive weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum weight retention.Design The New Life(style) study was a randomised trial with a control group (n = 113) and an intervention group (n = 106).Setting Midwife practices in the Netherlands.Population Women with a healthy pregnancy, expecting their first baby.Methods The intervention consisted of four face-to-face counselling sessions about weight, physical activity and diet during pregnancy, and one session by telephone after delivery.Main outcome measures Weight was objectively assessed at 15, 25 and 35 weeks of gestation, and again at 8, 26 and 52 weeks postpartum. In regression models, the intervention effect on gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention was assessed.Results Women gained on average 11.3 kg (SD 3.7 kg) from early to late pregnancy. Women were 1.0 kg (SD 5.3 kg) lighter at 52 weeks postpartum compared with early pregnancy. The intervention had no effect on gestational weight gain (B = )0.05; 95% CI )1.10 to 1.00) or postpartum weight (B = 0.94; 95% CI )2.41 to 0.53) in the total study group. In a subgroup of overweight and obese women (n = 47), a favourable trend on all outcomes was observed, but none of the differences were statistically significant. ConclusionThe lifestyle counselling intervention evaluated in this study did not have an effect on excessive weight gain or postpartum weight retention. Our findings for overweight and obese women need to be confirmed in a larger, well-designed randomised trial.Keywords Gestational weight gain, lifestyle counselling, weight retention.Please cite this paper as: Althuizen E, van der Wijden CL, van Mechelen W, Seidell JC, van Poppel MNM. The effect of a counselling intervention on weight changes during and after pregnancy: a randomised trial. BJOG 2013;120:92-99.

BackgroundPostpartum weight retention affects many women and increases the risk of becoming overweight. The research objective was to study modifiable factors contributing to weight change at one year postpartum.MethodsIn this prospective cohort, postpartum behavior, such as physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, and intake of total energy, total fat and saturated fatty acids of 118 Dutch women were assessed in 2003/2004 by self-report at 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Mean postpartum scores were computed for the behavioral measures. In linear regression models it was determined which factors were associated with average weight change from before pregnancy to one year postpartum. Furthermore, factors associated with substantial postpartum weight retention (≥ 5 kg) were also studied in logistic regression models.ResultsAt one year postpartum, the average weight of participants had increased by 0.9 kg (SD 4.4). Moreover, 20% of the women retained ≥ 5 kg. Women who perceived themselves more physically active than others were almost ten times less likely to retain ≥ 5 kg than women who perceived themselves equally active (OR = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.02 - 0.66). Exceeding the guideline for saturated fatty acid intake (OR = 3.40, 95%CI: 1.04 - 11.11), total gestational weight gain (OR = 1.14/kg, 95%CI: 1.01 - 1.27), and not having completed post high school education (OR = 5.13, 95%CI: 1.66 - 15.90) increased the odds of retaining ≥ 5 kg.ConclusionsSince one in five women had substantial weight retention postpartum, effective interventions for the prevention of weight retention are much needed. Future studies should evaluate whether interventions focusing on the identified modifiable postpartum factors are successful in reducing weight retention after childbirth.

Objective: Factors associated with weight gain during pregnancy that may be linked to maternal overweight and obesity were examined. Methods: In this observational study, 144 women reported on demographics, (prepregnancy) body weight, and lifestyles in self-reported questionnaires at 30 weeks gestation. Body weight at the end of pregnancy (selfreported at 6 weeks postpartum) was used to determine total gestational weight gain. Multivariate prediction models were developed to identify factors associated with total gestational weight gain and excessive gestational weight gain (i.e., higher weight gain than recommended by the Institute of Medicine). Results: Women gained 14.4 (AE5.0) kg during pregnancy. Obese women gained almost 4 kg less than normal weight women. Pregnant women judging themselves to be less physically active or women who reported increased food intakes during pregnancy gained significantly more weight. Over one third of women (38%) gained more weight than recommended. Being overweight, judging yourself to be less physically active than others, and a perceived elevated food intake during pregnancy were significantly associated with excessive weight gain (odds ratio [OR] ¼ 6.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01-19.32; OR ¼ 3.96, 95% CI: 1.55l, 10.15; and OR ¼ 3.14, 95% CI: 1.18, 8.36, respectively). A higher age at menarche and hours of sleep reduced the odds for excessive weight gain (OR ¼ 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.99; and OR ¼ 0.35, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.93, respectively). Conclusions: Mean hours of sleep, perceived physical activity, and measures of food intake at 30 weeks gestation were identified as modifiable behavioral correlates for excessive gestational weight gain. Strategies to optimize gestational weight gain need to be explored, with a focus on the identified factors.

Objective. To evaluate the relationship of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour with gestational weight gain (GWG) and birth weight. Design. Combined data from two prospective studies: (1) nulliparous pregnant women without BMI restrictions and (2) overweight and obese pregnant women at risk for gestational diabetes. Methods. Daily PA and sedentary behaviour were measured with an accelerometer around 15 and at 32–35 weeks of gestation. The association between time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and in sedentary activities with GWG and birth weight was determined. Main outcome measures were GWG between 15 and 32 weeks of gestation, average GWG per week, and birth weight. Results. We studied 111 women. Early in pregnancy, 32% of women spent ≥30 minutes/day in at least moderate PA versus 12% in late pregnancy. No significant associations were found between time spent in MVPA or sedentary behaviour with GWG or birth weight. Conclusions. We found no relation between MVPA and sedentary behaviour with GWG or birth weight. The small percentage of women meeting the recommended levels of PA indicates the need to inform and support pregnant women to maintain regular PA, as there seems to be no adverse effect on birth weight and maintaining PA increases overall health.

Background: Preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy is potentially important in the prevention of overweight and obesity among women of childbearing age. However, few intervention studies aiming at weight management during pregnancy have been performed and most of these interventions were not as successful as expected. In this paper the design of the New Life(style) study is described as well as the content of the individually tailored intervention program, which focuses on controlling weight development during pregnancy.