title: Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and fetal macrosomia in uncomplicated pregnancies: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to explore maternal energy balance, incorporating free living physical activity and sedentary behaviour, in uncomplicated pregnancies at risk of macrosomia.
  
  
  METHODS
  a parallel-group cross-sectional analysis was conducted in healthy pregnant women predicted to deliver infants weighing ≥ 4000 g (study group) or < 4000 g (control group). Women were recruited in a 1:1 ratio from antenatal clinics in Northern Ireland. Women wore a SenseWear(®) Body Media Pro3 physical activity armband and completed a food diary for four consecutive days in the third trimester. Physical activity was measured in Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks (METs) where 1 MET = 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was employed using the General Linear Model to adjust for potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  of the 112 women recruited, 100 complete datasets were available for analysis. There was no significant difference in energy balance between the two groups. Intensity of free living physical activity (average METs) of women predicted to deliver macrosomic infants (n = 50) was significantly lower than that of women in the control group (n = 50) (1.3 (0.2) METs (mean, standard deviation) versus 1.2 (0.2) METs; difference in means -0.1 METs (95% confidence interval: -0.19, -0.01); p = 0.021). Women predicted to deliver macrosomic infants also spent significantly more time in sedentary behaviour (≤ 1 MET) than the control group (16.1 (2.8) hours versus 13.8 (4.3) hours; 2.0 hours (0.3, 3.7), p = 0.020).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  although there was no association between predicted fetal macrosomia and energy balance, those women predicted to deliver a macrosomic infant exhibited increased sedentary behaviour and reduced physical activity in the third trimester of pregnancy. Professionals caring for women during pregnancy have an important role in promoting and supporting more active lifestyles amongst women who are predicted to deliver a macrosomic infant given the known associated risks.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen׳s University Belfast, UK. Electronic address: ereid04@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Esther W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen׳s University Belfast, UK. Electronic address: j.mcneill@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jenny A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen׳s University Belfast, UK. Electronic address: f.a.alderdice@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Fiona A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Alderdice
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen׳s University Belfast, UK. Electronic address: m.tully@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tully
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen׳s University Belfast, UK. Electronic address: v.holmes@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Valerie A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Holmes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods; D009043:Motor Activity; D009660:Northern Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057185:Sedentary Behavior
keywords: Fetal macrosomia; Physical activity; Pregnancy; Sedentary behaviour