Impact of Physical Activity During Pregnancy on Postpartum Body Composition

Presenters

Najah ReedFollow

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract (300 words maximum)

Exercise is recommended for women during pregnancy. Physical activity (PA) helps maintain a healthy BMI and avoid unhealthy gestational weight gain. Body composition is an important instrument in determining risk of development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM refers to any degree of abnormal glucose level first detected in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships of PA during pregnancy on postpartum total fat mass (TFM) and total body water (TBW).

Body composition measures were collected on twenty-nine pregnant women (aged 27.3±4.5 years; BMI 30.1±8.6 kg/m2) between 17-20 weeks’ gestation. TFM and TBW was analyzed using bioimpedance device InBody (IB720) at 4 weeks postpartum. Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) was used to self-report level of PA. PPAQ estimates PA levels based on participants’ occupational, household, and sports-related activity. Activity participation was classified as sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous PA based on their PPAQ score. Normality tests were applied to check data distribution. Spearman’s correlation was performed to test statistical significance.

Postpartum TFM wasn’t significantly correlated (p>0.05) with total PA (ρ= -0.269), household (ρ = -0.208), occupational (ρ = 0.112), or sports-related activity (ρ = 0.32). Similarly, there was no significant associations between postpartum TBW and total PA (ρ = -0.249), household (ρ = -0.197), occupational (ρ = 0.099), or sports-related activity (ρ = 0.312). No significant correlations were found among the levels of PA, TFM or TBW. Sedentary (ρ = 0.043, 0.066), light (ρ = 0.163, 0.148), moderate (ρ = 0.156, 0.151), and vigorous activity (ρ = 0.204, 0.19) did not show relationships with TFM or TBW.

Despite no significant correlation among levels of prenatal PA and postpartum body composition measures, being physically active results in better health and quality of life. Engaging in PA and keeping a healthy BMI does decrease the chances of GDM.

Academic department under which the project should be listed

WCHHS - Exercise Science and Sport Management

Primary Investigator (PI) Name

Katherine Ingram

Additional Faculty

Sadaf Dabeer, Department of Endocrinology, Emory University, sadaf.dabeer05@gmail.com Juliana F. Meireles, Department of Exercise Science and Sport Management, jfilguei@kennesaw.edu

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Impact of Physical Activity During Pregnancy on Postpartum Body Composition

Exercise is recommended for women during pregnancy. Physical activity (PA) helps maintain a healthy BMI and avoid unhealthy gestational weight gain. Body composition is an important instrument in determining risk of development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM refers to any degree of abnormal glucose level first detected in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships of PA during pregnancy on postpartum total fat mass (TFM) and total body water (TBW).

Body composition measures were collected on twenty-nine pregnant women (aged 27.3±4.5 years; BMI 30.1±8.6 kg/m2) between 17-20 weeks’ gestation. TFM and TBW was analyzed using bioimpedance device InBody (IB720) at 4 weeks postpartum. Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) was used to self-report level of PA. PPAQ estimates PA levels based on participants’ occupational, household, and sports-related activity. Activity participation was classified as sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous PA based on their PPAQ score. Normality tests were applied to check data distribution. Spearman’s correlation was performed to test statistical significance.

Postpartum TFM wasn’t significantly correlated (p>0.05) with total PA (ρ= -0.269), household (ρ = -0.208), occupational (ρ = 0.112), or sports-related activity (ρ = 0.32). Similarly, there was no significant associations between postpartum TBW and total PA (ρ = -0.249), household (ρ = -0.197), occupational (ρ = 0.099), or sports-related activity (ρ = 0.312). No significant correlations were found among the levels of PA, TFM or TBW. Sedentary (ρ = 0.043, 0.066), light (ρ = 0.163, 0.148), moderate (ρ = 0.156, 0.151), and vigorous activity (ρ = 0.204, 0.19) did not show relationships with TFM or TBW.

Despite no significant correlation among levels of prenatal PA and postpartum body composition measures, being physically active results in better health and quality of life. Engaging in PA and keeping a healthy BMI does decrease the chances of GDM.

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