title: Health-enhancing physical activity behaviour and related factors in postpartum women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus.
abstract: This is one of the first studies to explore known preventive behaviours for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among women with recent gestational diabetes (GDM), and the first to do so in a representative population sample. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of health-enhancing physical activity (PA) and explore its association with psychosocial and sociodemographic factors, in postnatal women with recent GDM. Cross-sectional telephone surveys were conducted among Queensland women with a recent history (>or=6 months and <or=3 years since diagnosis) of GDM (N=331), which included measures on PA behaviour, social support and self-efficacy for regular PA. The prevalence of health-enhancing PA among women with recent GDM was 37.2%. In multivariate analysis, both social support (OR=1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.09) and self-efficacy (OR=1.04, 95% CI 1.004-1.07) were significantly associated with health-enhancing PA. The findings from this study demonstrate the need for postnatal follow-up to increase PA levels in women with recent GDM as this may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in this at-risk population. Strategies that address social support and self-efficacy for PA may be effective in increasing health-enhancing PA among women with recent GDM.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Psychology, McElwain Building, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia. d.koh@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Yvette D
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Alison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Wendy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McIntyre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009043:Motor Activity; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult