Effect of Lifestyle Intervention Program for Overweight and Obesity Pregnant Women

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#This study was conducted to identify the effects of a lifestyle intervention program on weight gain, dietary habits, fatigue andpregnancy stress, blood pressure, and neonatal birth weight, using Cox’s interaction model of client health behavior for overweight andobese women. @*Methods@#This was a quasi-experimental research with a non-equivalent control group pre-post test design. A total of 52patients who met the selection criteria, including 25 in the experimental group and 27 in the control group, were the subjects of the study;they comprised overweight and obese pregnant women who were receiving prenatal care at A and B women’s hospital in J province. Thelifestyle intervention program ran for 12 weeks in total and consisted of interactions involving affective support, health information, andprofessional/technical competencies. The data collection period was from February 1, 2017 to August 31, 2017. @*Results@#This study showeddifferences in the appropriate weight gain rate (x2=6.17, p=.013), suppression of an increase in fatigue (t=-2.32, pp =.012), and an increasein pregnancy stress (t=-1.87, p=.034). Yet, no differences in physical activity, dietary habits change, blood pressure, and neonatal birthweight (p>.05) were found. @*Conclusion@#The study findings indicate that this program could be an effective intervention for the control ofappropriate weight gain, fatigue, and pregnancy stress. Therefore, a lifestyle intervention program based on Cox’s interaction model of clienthealth behavior could be an efficient strategy for a positive health outcome of overweight and obesity pregnant women.