Healthcare Providers ’ Advice About Gestational Weight Gain, Diet, and Exercise: a Cross-Sectional Study with Brazilian Immigrant Women in the USA

This study sought to quantify healthcare providers ’ advice about gestational weight gain (GWG), diet, and exercise among first-time pregnant Brazilian women living in the USA. This is a cross-sectional study of first-time pregnant Brazilian women living in selected cities in Massachusetts. The study sample included 86 women, nearly all (97%;n = 83) immigrants. Participants’ mean age was 28.3 years and mean gestation was 27.5 weeks. Approximately 25.6% (n = 22) reported being overweight, and 1.2% (n = 1) being underweight. Only about 62% (n = 53) reported receiving advice from their healthcare provider on recommended GWG. In addition, about 83% (n = 71) and 81% (n = 70) reported receiving healthcare providers’ advice on exercise and diet, respectively. Women who self-reported being overweight pre-pregnancy (OR 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03–0.73;p = 0.02) and women who were classified low acculturation levels (OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02–0.08;p = 0.03) were less likely to report receiving healthcare providers’ advice on GWG compared to women who self-reported being normal weight pre-pregnancy and those classified having high acculturation level, respectively. Furthermore, women who self-reported being overweight pre-pregnancy were l ess likely to report receiving diet-related advice (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.10–1.02;p = 0.05) than women who self-reported being normal weight pre-pregnancy. Findings indicate the need for increased co...
Source: Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research