Developing a lifestyle intervention program for overweight or obese preconception, pregnant and postpartum women using qualitative methods

Author

Chee Wai KU, Duke-NUS Medical School
Shu Hui LEOW
Lay See ONG
Christina ERWIN
Isabella ONG
Xiang Wen NG
Jacinth Jia Xin TAN, Singapore Management UniversityFollow
Fabian YAP
Jerry K. Y. CHAN
See Ling LOY

Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

12-2022

Abstract

The time period before, during and after pregnancy represents a unique opportunity for interventions to cultivate sustained healthy lifestyle behaviors to improve the metabolic health of mothers and their offspring. However, the success of a lifestyle intervention is dependent on uptake and continued compliance. To identify enablers and barriers towards engagement with a lifestyle intervention, thematic analysis of 15 in-depth interviews with overweight or obese women in the preconception, pregnancy or postpartum periods was undertaken, using the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework as a guide to systematically chart factors influencing adoption of a novel lifestyle intervention. Barrier factors include time constraints, poor baseline knowledge, family culture, food accessibility, and lack of relevant data sources. Enabling factors were motivation to be healthy for themselves and their offspring, family and social support, a holistic delivery platform providing desired information delivered at appropriate times, regular feedback, goal setting, and nudges. From the findings of this study, we propose components of an idealized lifestyle intervention including (i) taking a holistic life-course approach to education, (ii) using mobile health platforms to reduce barriers, provide personalized feedback and promote goal-setting, and (iii) health nudges to cultivate sustained lifestyle habits.

Keywords

Women, healthy lifestyle, lifestyle intervention

Discipline

Applied Behavior Analysis | Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition | Gender and Sexuality

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Scientific Reports

Volume

12

Issue

1

First Page

1

Last Page

9

ISSN

2045-2322

Identifier

10.1038/s41598-022-06564-2

Publisher

Nature Research

Citation

KU, Chee Wai, LEOW, Shu Hui, ONG, Lay See, ERWIN, Christina, ONG, Isabella, NG, Xiang Wen, TAN, Jacinth Jia Xin, YAP, Fabian, CHAN, Jerry K. Y., & LOY, See Ling.(2022). Developing a lifestyle intervention program for overweight or obese preconception, pregnant and postpartum women using qualitative methods. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 1-9.

Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3565

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06564-2