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Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy in Greece
Ioannis Mitrogiannis1, Christos Chatzakis2, Chara Skentou3
1Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College London, London SE5 8BB UK.
European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
|January 29, 2025
Summary
The Greek version of the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) is reliable for assessing physical activity (PA) in pregnant women. Most women did not meet PA recommendations, indicating a need for interventions.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Sports Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy is crucial for maternal and fetal health.
- Assessing PA accurately in pregnant populations is essential for public health initiatives.
- Existing questionnaires require validation for specific demographic groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the amount and types of physical activity (PA) performed by Greek women during pregnancy.
- To assess the validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ).
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 1058 pregnant women completing the PPAQ Greek version.
- Reliability assessed by test-retest (one-week interval) and validity by comparison with smartwatch data (step counts, METs).
- Physical activity levels evaluated using METs and compared against international recommendations.
Main Results:
- The Greek PPAQ demonstrated strong reliability (ICC: 0.82-0.96) and validity (correlation with smartwatches: 0.542, p=0.022).
- Median PA was 142.1 MET-hours/week; PA increased with gestational age in several categories.
- Only 14.8% of women met international PA recommendations, with higher education linked to increased activity.
Conclusions:
- The Greek PPAQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing PA in pregnant Greek women.
- Higher educational attainment and advanced gestational age correlate with increased PA.
- A significant gap exists between current PA levels and recommendations, necessitating targeted interventions.
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