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Can a health coaching intervention delivered during pregnancy help prevent excessive gestational weight gain?

journal contribution
posted on 2016-10-01, 00:00 authored by Briony Hill, Helen Skouteris, Matthew Fuller-TyszkiewiczMatthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Skye Mcphie
This study evaluated: (1) the efficacy of a health coaching (HC) intervention designed to prevent excessive gestational weight gain (GWG); and (2) whether there were improved psychological, motivational, and behavioural outcomes for women in the HC intervention compared to a "usual care" control group. In this quasi-experimental study, 267 pregnant women ≤18 weeks gestation were recruited between August 2011 and June 2013 from two hospital antenatal clinics in Melbourne, Australia. Intervention women received four individual HC and two group HC/educational sessions informed by theories of behaviour change. Women completed questionnaires assessing psychological, motivational and behavioural outcomes at 16-18 (baseline) and 33 (post-intervention) weeks gestation. Weight measures were collected. Compared to usual care, the intervention did not limit GWG or prevent excessive GWG. However, HC women reported greater use of active coping skills post-intervention. Despite lack of success of the HC intervention, given the risks associated with excessive weight gain in pregnancy, health professionals should continue to recommend appropriate GWG.

History

Journal

Journal of behavioral medicine

Volume

39

Issue

5

Pagination

793 - 803

Publisher

Springer

Location

New York, N.Y.

ISSN

0160-7715

eISSN

1573-3521

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article; C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2016, Springer