Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in obesity
Obesity Abstracts (2019) 1 RFC2.5 | DOI: 10.1530/obabs.01.RFC2.5

UKCO2019 Rapid Fire Communications (1) (6 abstracts)

Systematic review of brief interventions aimed at promoting energy balance behaviours delivered during antenatal care

Andrea Smith , Kristiane Tommerup , Helen Croker , Alexandra Rhodes & Clare Llewellyn


University College London, London, UK.


Background: Pregnancy provides a window of opportunity to prevent childhood obesity through lifestyle interventions to reduce the risk of delivery of large-for-gestational-age infants, and childhood and adult obesity. Given the abundance of novel information that midwives are required to discuss with women during pregnancy, a brief intervention may be a pragmatic approach. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of brief interventions targeting diet, physical activity and weight monitoring behaviours delivered during routine antenatal care in improving energy balance behaviours (diet, physical activity) and gestational weight management.

Method: Twelve databases were searched for RCT/quasi RCT studies. Eligible interventions included ‘brief interventions’ delivered face-to-face or via phone during a single point of contact. A total of 9446 (non-duplicated) records were screened. The ROB2 tool for risk of reporting bias was applied.

Results: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, of which eight were RCTs. Interventions included six trials focused on changing one energy balance behaviour, two trials targeting two behaviours, and one trial targeting all three behaviours. Most studies targeted weight monitoring (n=6), or diet (n=4), and fewer targeted physical activity (n=3). One trial was directed at healthcare practitioners, and all other studies targeted pregnant women. In most cases, studies tested whether a brief intervention was more effective than standard antenatal care (n=7), but two were additionally compared to a more intense intervention. Three weight monitoring studies resulted in significant reductions in weight gain, and two interventions resulted in significant improvements in diet quality. Follow-up of interventions focused on short-term effects, with all outcome assessments occurring in the last trimester. Study quality was variable; five studies were deemed ‘high risk’, three as ‘some concern’, and one ‘low risk’.

Conclusion: Delivery of brief interventions during routine pregnancy care are achievable. Results suggest that brief interventions can improve weight monitoring or diet-related energy balance behaviours, with no effects on physical activity being observed. Larger and longer trials utilising heterogonous measures of diet, physical activity and weight monitoring are needed to inform the development of effective interventions preventing excessive gestational weight gain.

Keywords: Pregnancy, intervention, review

Disclosures: None

Volume 1

UK Congress on Obesity 2019

Leeds, United Kingdom
12 Sep 2019 - 13 Sep 2019

Association for the Study of Obesity 

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