Walking for Health in Pregnancy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine RT3 accelerometer activity counts and activity energy expenditure of 36 pregnant women at 20 and 32 weeks' gestation during treadmill walking and free-living conditions. During treadmill walking, oxygen consumption was collected, and activity energy expenditure was estimated for a 30-min walk at a self-selected walking pace. The number of min it would take a pregnant woman to meet exercise recommendations (i.e., kcal/week) were calculated. Preliminary activity count cut points at a self-selected walking pace were then estimated and applied in interpreting free-living data. For the treadmill walking condition, the self-selected walking pace significantly decreased from 20 to 32 weeks' gestation. Additionally, few women (< 12% each day) met physical activity guidelines in the free-living condition. Encouraging pregnant women to walk for 30–40 min per day at a self-selected walking pace may be an appropriate public health recommendation.

Key words:

• Energy expenditure
• Gestation
• Guidelines
• Physical activity

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Danielle Symons Downs

We would like to acknowledge the College of Health and Human Development Faculty Grant at The Pennsylvania State University awarded to Danielle Symons Downs and the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) National Institute of Health M01RR1072 for funding this research, and the GCRC staff (especially Denise Sheffield) and the participants for their commitment to our research. Please address all correspondence concerning this article to Danielle Symons Downs, Department of Kinesiology, 266 Recreation Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-5701.