title: Interventions to change maternity healthcare professionals' behaviours to promote weight-related support for obese pregnant women: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been a rapid increase in the publication of guidelines for managing obesity and weight gain during pregnancy over the past five years. Healthcare professionals have identified multiple barriers to this area of practice, including the need to improve their communication skills, beliefs that pregnant women will have negative reactions to weight-related discussions, and a lack of weight management knowledge. This systematic review aimed to identify: the effectiveness of interventions in changing healthcare professionals' practice relating to maternal obesity or weight management during pregnancy; and which behaviour change techniques and modes of intervention delivery have been used in interventions to date.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The search strategy included searching electronic databases, trial registers, and citation searching. Inclusion criteria were intervention studies targeted towards changing healthcare professionals' practice in relation to maternal obesity or weight management. The searches identified 3,608 studies. However, no eligible completed studies were identified. One registered Canadian randomised controlled trial was identified. The trial includes a training intervention for family physicians with the aim of supporting adherence to gestational weight gain guidelines. The trial had not yet commenced therefore no effectiveness data were available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current focus of maternal obesity and weight management research is targeted towards changing pregnant women's behaviours. These interventions do not address the multiple healthcare professionals' barriers to maternal obesity and weight management practice. Further research is required to identify the most effective approaches to support healthcare professionals to implement maternal obesity and weight management guidelines into practice.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heslehurst
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robalino
authors.forename: Falko F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Sniehotta
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McColl
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rankin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation
references.citation: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2001;(2):CD000984
references.pmid: 11405970
references.citation: Proc Nutr Soc. 2011 Nov;70(4):439-49
references.pmid: 21854697
references.citation: Ann Behav Med. 2003 Dec;26(3):161-71
references.pmid: 14644692
references.citation: Obes Rev. 2008 Nov;9(6):635-83
references.pmid: 18673307
references.citation: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Mar 17;(3):CD000984
references.pmid: 20238311
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2011 Jun;26(6):1501-11
references.pmid: 21467206
references.citation: Obes Rev. 2009 Mar;10(2):194-203
references.pmid: 19055539
references.citation: Obes Rev. 2013 Jan;14(1):68-85
references.pmid: 23107337
references.citation: J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2010 Feb;32(2):165-173
references.pmid: 20181319
references.citation: PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e36626
references.pmid: 22574201
references.citation: Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2012 May;91(5):538-45
references.pmid: 22229625
references.citation: Obes Rev. 2014 Jun;15(6):462-86
references.pmid: 24629076
references.citation: BMJ. 2012 May 16;344:e2088
references.pmid: 22596383
references.citation: Prev Med. 2013 Jun;56(6):351-64
references.pmid: 23480971
references.citation: Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May;91(5):1336-41
references.pmid: 20237138