Impact of Exercise Intervention Combined with Optimal Mediterranean Diet Adherence during Pregnancy on Postpartum Body Composition: A Quasi-Experimental Study-The GESTAFIT Project.
Marta Flor-AlemanyPedro Acosta-ManzanoJairo Hidalgo MiguelesPontus HenrikssonMarie LofVirginia Ariadna AparicioPublished in: Nutrients (2023)
This study aimed to investigate whether the effects of an exercise program during pregnancy on postpartum body composition are moderated by following a healthy dietary pattern (i.e., Mediterranean diet (MD)). Eighty-three pregnant women (control n = 40, exercise n = 43) were included in the present quasi-experimental study. The exercise intervention consisted of a 60 min, 3 day/week throughout pregnancy from gestational week 17, supervised concurrent (aerobic + resistance) exercise program. A food frequency questionnaire and the MD Score (min-max: 0-50) were employed to assess dietary habits and the MD adherence during pregnancy, respectively. Postpartum body composition was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, 6 weeks postpartum. The body mass index and the gynecoid fat mass at postpartum were lower in the exercise compared to the control group ( p = 0.018 and p = 0.047, respectively). There was an interaction showing that the MD adherence during pregnancy positively moderated the effects of the exercise intervention on postpartum lean mass ( p = 0.024), fat mass percentage ( p = 0.092), android fat mass ( p = 0.076), and android-to-gynecoid fat mass ( p = 0.019). The Johnson-Neyman technique revealed that the effects of exercise were enhanced at a MD score of ~31 for lean mass, ~25 for fat mass, ~23 for android fat mass and ~29 for android-to-gynecoid fat mass. Our results suggest that a concurrent-exercise training plus an optimal MD adherence during pregnancy might be a useful strategy to promote a healthier body composition at the postpartum period.
Keyphrases
- body composition
- resistance training
- high intensity
- bone mineral density
- adipose tissue
- pregnant women
- physical activity
- molecular dynamics
- dual energy
- randomized controlled trial
- quality improvement
- computed tomography
- machine learning
- metabolic syndrome
- insulin resistance
- type diabetes
- locally advanced
- postmenopausal women
- magnetic resonance
- preterm birth
- single cell
- radiation therapy
- human health