title: Pilot study of an individualised early postpartum intervention to increase physical activity in women with previous gestational diabetes.
abstract: Optimal strategies to prevent progression towards overt diabetes in women with recent gestational diabetes remain ill defined. We report a pilot study of a convenient, home based exercise program with telephone support, suited to the early post-partum period. Twenty eight women with recent gestational diabetes were enrolled at six weeks post-partum into a 12 week randomised controlled trial of Usual Care (n = 13) versus Supported Care (individualised exercise program with regular telephone support; n = 15). Baseline characteristics (Mean ± SD) were: Age  33 ± 4  years; Weight 80 ± 20 kg and Body Mass Index (BMI) 30.0 ± 9.7 kg/m(2). The primary outcome, planned physical activity {Median (Range)}, increased by 60 (0-540) mins/week in the SC group versus 0 (0-580) mins/week in the UC group (P = 0.234). Walking was the predominant physical activity. Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, % body fat, fasting glucose and insulin did not change significantly over time in either group. This intervention designed to increase physical activity in post-partum women with previous gestational diabetes proved feasible. However, no measurable improvement in metabolic or biometric parameters was observed over a three month period.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Harold David
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: Yvette D
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Alison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Marshall