Physical Inactivity Among Pregnant Women at High Risk for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study

To examine the prevalence and predictors of physical inactivity among pregnant women at high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in mainland China.

A cross-sectional study was implemented in Zhengzhou, China from October 2021 to February 2022. Two hundred fifty-two pregnant women at high risk for GDM were recruited. Physical inactivity was assessed by the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale, Knowledge of Physical Activity Questionnaire, Social Support for Physical Activity Scale, 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and sociodemographic and antenatal characteristics questionnaire were collected and used to predict physical inactivity. Binary logistic regression was applied. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

The prevalence of physical inactivity was 53.2%. The risk factors for physical inactivity included low level of physical activity self-efficacy (aOR: 6.05, 95% CI: 1.13-32.31), middle levels of physical activity self-efficacy (aOR: 5.13, 95% CI: 1.45-18.20), no pregnancy physical activity goals (aOR: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.18-8.0), low pregnancy physical activity goals (aOR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.02-6.8), nulliparity (aOR: 7.17, 95% CI: 3.74-13.75), having a junior college degree or below (aOR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.10-3.74) and husbands having no habits of regular physical activity (aOR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.06-4.04).

This study revealed that physical inactivity among pregnant women at high risk for GDM was a public health concern in mainland China. Physical activity self-efficacy and pregnancy physical activity goals may be used to develop interventions to enhance physical activity.