title: Health coaching to prevent excessive gestational weight gain: A randomized-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of a health coaching (HC) intervention designed to prevent excessive gestational weight gain (GWG), and promote positive psychosocial and motivational outcomes in comparison with an Education Alone (EA) group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized-controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and sixty-one women who were <18 weeks pregnant consented to take part. Those allocated to the HC group received a tailored HC intervention delivered by a Health Coach, whilst those in the EA group attended two education sessions. Women completed measures, including motivation, psychosocial variables, sleep quality, and knowledge, beliefs and expectations concerning GWG, at 15 weeks of gestation (Time 1) and 33 weeks of gestation (Time 2). Post-birth data were also collected at 2 months post-partum (Time 3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no intervention effect in relation to weight gained during pregnancy, rate of excessive GWG or birth outcomes. The only differences between HC and EA women were higher readiness (b = 0.29, 95% CIs = 0.03-0.55, p < .05) and the importance to achieve a healthy GWG (b = 0.27, 95% CIs = 0.02-0.52, p < .05), improved sleep quality (b = -0.22, 95% CIs = -0.44 to -0.03, p < .05), and increased knowledge for an appropriate amount of GWG that would be best for their baby's health (b = -1.75, 95% CI = -3.26 to -0.24, p < .05) reported by the HC at Time 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whilst the HC intervention was not successful in preventing excessive GWG, several implications for the design of future GWG interventions were identified, including the burden of the intervention commitment and the use of weight monitoring.
  What is already known on the subject? Designing interventions to address gestational weight gain (GWG) continues to be a challenge. To date, health behaviour change factors have not been the focus of GWG interventions. What does this study add? Our health coaching (HC) intervention did not reduce GWG more so than education alone (EA). There was an intervention effect on readiness and importance to achieve healthy GWG. Yet there were no group differences regarding confidence to achieve healthy GWG post-intervention.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Skouteris
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Skye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McPhie
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Briony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Marita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milgrom
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Drake Circus, Plymouth University, Devon, UK.
authors.forename: Bridie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.affiliation: Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.affiliation: Healthchange Australia, Bomaderry, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Janette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.affiliation: Deakin Health Economics, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mihalopoulos
authors.affiliation: Deakin Health Economics, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sophy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: Women's and Children's Services, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teale
authors.affiliation: Carrington Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lachal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014739:Victoria; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: gestational weight gain; health coaching; intervention; pregnancy