title: The role of a personalized dietary intervention in managing gestational weight gain: a prospective, controlled study in a low-risk antenatal population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of a personal dietary intervention on gestational weight gain control with a general intervention promoting healthy eating.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, controlled study including 154 low-risk pregnant women randomly allocated to two groups: 77 receiving a personalized diet plan and a close follow-up by a dietician (intervention group), 77 receiving standard dietary care by means of a brochure on healthy eating during pregnancy (control group). Pre-pregnancy weight, gestational age, height, weight and BMI at baseline, weight at term, gestational age at delivery and newborn weight were recorded for all participants. The primary end-point was the difference in body weight between baseline and term. Secondary end-points were the difference in body weight between pre-pregnancy and term and in newborn weights.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal weight gain at term was significantly lower both as compared to pre-pregnancy weight (8.2 ± 4.0 vs. 13.4 ± 4.2 kg; p < 0.001) and to weight at baseline (7.7 ± 3.8 vs. 13.7 ± 4.3 kg; p < 0.001) in the intervention group as compared to controls. A positive, significant correlation between the delta weight between baseline and term and newborn weight was observed in both groups, but stronger in patients from the intervention group (intervention group R = 0.76, p < 0.001; control group R = 0.35, p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that a personalized nutritional intervention, in which the dietician plays an active role within the obstetric team, may represent a successful approach in limiting weight gain in pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences and Reproductive Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy, costantino.dicarlo@unina.it.
authors.forename: Costantino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iannotti
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sparice
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Chiacchio
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Giovanni Antonio
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Tommaselli
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nappi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003376:Counseling; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D064686:Nutritionists; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain