What Accounts for Physical Activity during Pregnancy? A Study on the Sociodemographic Predictors of Self-Reported and Objectively Assessed Physical Activity during the 1st and 2nd Trimesters of Pregnancy

Ana Mendinueta, Haritz Esnal, Haritz Arrieta, Miren Arrue, Nerea Urbieta, Itziar Ubillos, Kristina W. Whitworth, Xavier Delclòs-Alió, Guillem Vich and Jesus Ibarluzea
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Ana Mendinueta: Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Haritz Esnal: Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Haritz Arrieta: Department of Nursing II, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Miren Arrue: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Donostia University Hospital, Basque Country, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Nerea Urbieta: Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development, Doctor Begiristain, s/n, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain
Itziar Ubillos: Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development, Doctor Begiristain, s/n, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain
Kristina W. Whitworth: Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030-3411, USA
Xavier Delclòs-Alió: Institute of Urban and Regional Development, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1820, USA
Guillem Vich: Department of Geography, UniversitatAutònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
Jesus Ibarluzea: Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development, Doctor Begiristain, s/n, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy has positive health implications for both mother and child. However, current literature indicates that not all pregnant women meet the international recommendations for PA (at least 150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous PA). The main objective of this study was to assess PA levels among pregnant women in the city of Donostia-San Sebastian and identify their main sociodemographic predictors. We recruited 441 women in the 12th week of pregnancy from the local public obstetric health services. Women wore an accelerometer for one week during two separate time points (1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy) and completed a questionnaire assessing several sociodemographic variables as well as self-reported PA. With this information, we estimated women’s overall PA levels during both time points. The fulfillment of PA recommendations raised up to 77% and 85% during the first and second trimesters, respectively. We found that a higher number of children and a greater preference for exercise positively predicted light-to-moderate PA, being the most consistent predictors. The availability of a greater number of cars negatively predicted moderate-to-vigorous PA.

Keywords: accelerometer; self-reported data; physical activity guidelines; inter-measurement agreement; pregnancy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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