title: Exercise interventions for weight management during pregnancy and up to 1 year postpartum among normal weight, overweight and obese women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of excessive gestation weight gain, extended postpartum weight retention and pregravid obese women is increasing and is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the evidence from studies employing exercise-only interventions for weight management among pregnant and postpartum women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten databases were searched for randomised controlled trials conducted during pregnancy or within the 12 months following childbirth and published between 1990 and 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were no restrictions to the type, frequency, duration or intensity of exercise intervention. Interventions not specifically designed to target weight were excluded. The outcomes were a change in body weight (kg) or body mass index (BMI; kg/m(2)).
  
  
  METHODS
  All data were continuous and were reported as weighted mean differences (WMD), with 95% CIs. Data were analysed with a fixed-effect model and heterogeneity was determined using the I(2) statistic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five studies were included in this review. Exercise significantly reduced gestational weight gain (WMD=-2.22 kg, CI -3.14 to -1.3, p≤0.00001) and had no significant effect on postpartum weight loss (WMD=-1.74 kg, CI -3.59 to 0.10, p=0.06) or BMI during pregnancy (WMD=-2.8 kg/m(2), CI -5.60 to 0.00, p=0.05) or postpartum (WMD=-0.54 kg/m(2), CI -1.17 to 0.08, p=0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is currently limited evidence to suggest that exercise can be used to limit maternal gestational weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Elliott-Sale
authors.affiliation: Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sale
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: Evidence based review; Exercise and/or caloric restriction effects on body weight/composition; Weight loss