title: Physical activity and maternal obesity: cardiovascular adaptations, exercise recommendations, and pregnancy outcomes.
abstract: Although a healthy lifestyle approach is intuitive for obese pregnant women, no guidelines currently exist to manage these women throughout pregnancy. Women who are medically prescreened for contraindications can engage in a walking program three to four times per week, starting at 25 min per session and adding 2 min per week until reaching 40 min, with sessions continuing until delivery. A target heart rate of 102-124 beats per minute should be promoted for women 20-29 years of age and a rate of 101-120 beats per minute for women 30-39 years of age. A pedometer step count of 10,000 steps per day is suggested as a goal, as this level of activity provides important health benefits. Combining healthy eating with a walking plan prevents excessive weight gain during pregnancy and promotes a healthy fetal environment.
authors.affiliation: R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation - Exercise & Pregnancy Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Anatomy, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michelle F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mottola
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: exercise prescription; healthy lifestyle; obese pregnant women; walking