Physical Activity Level and Weight Gain in a Cohort of Pregnant Norwegian Women

Background: It is generally recommended that healthy, pregnant women should engage in moderate exercise on most days of the week. However, there is scant knowledge about the overall physical activity and exercise levels among pregnant women.

Purpose: To assess the total physical activity level of pregnant women, and to investigate the association between weight gain, physical activity and exercise during pregnancy.

Methods: Pregnant women (n=467) answered a questionnaire on total physical activity level in gestation week 36.

Results: Some 55% of the participants reported working in a sitting position. Most women drove (52.9%) or used public transport (31.7%) to work. A total of 39% reported sedentary activities of>or=4 h (watching television and reading) daily; 19% were defined as non-exercisers before pregnancy, 30% in the first trimester, 36% in the second trimester and 53% in the third trimester. Fifty women (10.6%) continued to exercise>or=4 times/week in the third trimester. Mean weight gain was 13.8 kg (SD: 5.2). Of the normal pregestational weight women (pre-BMI: <26) and overweight women (pre-BMI: >or=26), 32 and 51% had exceeded weight gain above accepted recommendations, respectively. Women who exercised regularly had significantly lower weight gain than inactive women in the third trimester only.

Conclusion: Pregnant women have a low total physical activity level, and a high percentage of women exceed the recommended weight gain during pregnancy.