Factors Associated With Interest In A Postpartum Weight Management Program

Abstract

To assessed the barriers to physical activity participation among pregnant women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. METHODS: A sequential explanatory mixed method, predominantly quantitative study involving 1082 pregnant women. A structured self-administered questionnaire on perceived barriers to physical participation was applied to collect quantitative data. Qualitatively, 15 pregnant women participated in individual in-depth semi-structured interviews to augment quantitative data. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, respectively. RESULTS: The major barriers to physical activity and exercise cited by the women were lack of advice from healthcare professionals (nurses/midwives) (64.7%), feeling of tiredness (73.3%), and low energy (64.5%). Other barriers included insufficient and contradictory information (64.8%), non-accessibility to physical activity facilities (63.0%), lack of transport to the gym for exercise (82.3%) and the money to pay for the gym fee (80.1%). Qualitatively, the barriers identified relate to four main themes: individual, lack of information, lack of resources, and environmental barriers. Participants expressed feeling tired after work and performing household chores and other commitments. They further maintained having no or limited knowledge about prenatal physical activity, as the midwives whom they consult during antenatal healthcare sessions, rarely provide advice or counselling about prenatal physical activity. The women expressed that they lacked the resources to afford registration at a gym and could not pay for it. They also expressed fear of being attacked by some criminal individuals in the street is possible. CONCLUSION: The major barriers cited by the women were tiredness, lack of time, discomfort, and low energy. They also include lack of support, advice and information about prenatal physical activity. The multiple constraining factors responsible for low or non-prenatal physical activity of women in this setting highlight the need to tailor interventions to address their individual uniquely perceived barriers.