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Research Project: Impact of Maternal Influence and Early Dietary Factors on Child Growth, Development, and Metabolic Health

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Title: Physical activity, sedentary and sleep phenotypes in women during the first trimester of pregnancy

Author
item HOWIE, ERIN - University Of Arkansas
item NELSON, ALEXANDER - University Of Arkansas
item MCVEIGH, JOANNE - Curtin University
item ANDRES, ALINE - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Maternal and Child Health Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/14/2023
Publication Date: 7/12/2023
Citation: Howie, E.K., Nelson, A.H., Mcveigh, J.A., Andres, A. 2023. Physical activity, sedentary and sleep phenotypes in women during the first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 20(1):597. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03745-x.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03745-x

Interpretive Summary: The goal of this research study was to identify patterns of physical activity in women during the first trimester of pregnancy. Researchers used data from the completed longitudinal Glowing Study and assessed data obtained from devices worn at the participants’ ankle to determine their physical activity patterns. Results were obtained from 212 women during their first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal total activity and activity patterns during the first trimester of pregnancy were associated with pre-pregnancy body mass index, race, and education. Future research should examine whether these activity patterns are associated with maternal and children health outcomes.

Technical Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this research study is to first identify “activity phenotypes” from accelerometer characteristics of activity behaviors in pregnant women during the first trimester. Secondly, the goal of the analysis was to provide validity of the classes and explore the associations between the identified phenotypes with demographic and other variables. Methods Data were from the Glowing Study (gov ID: NCT01131117), collected between 2011 and 2017 with objective-measures of physical activity. Pregnant mothers wore Actical accelerometers on their non-dominant ankles using a medical band for up to 7 consecutive days in their 12th week of pregnancy. Data were processed using two alternative methods: a “Criterion Visual Analysis”, and a “novel Computer Algorithmic Extraction Method”. The four main constructs assessed were total activity, sleep time, activity intensity, and variation in activity. Latent class analysis was used to identify patterns of activity. Maternal BMI and sociodemographics were compared between identified activity phenotypes. Results A total of 212 pregnant women were included in the study (mean age 30.2 years (range 22.1 to 42.4)). Three activity phenotypes were identified: low sedentary and stable (n=136, 64%), variable activity (n=39, 18%), high sedentary and low sleep (n=37, 17%). When comparing maternal demographics and maternal BMI between the three phenotypes, BMI, race, and education were significantly different between the three phenotypes. Conclusion Maternal total activity and activity phenotypes were associated with pre-pregnancy BMI, race, and education. Future research should examine whether these activity phenotypes are associated with maternal and children health outcomes.