Maternal and Child Health Journal · 4 authors, 3 centres
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This qualitative descriptive study used semi-structured interviews with 10 overweight or obese postpartum women to explore barriers to physical activity, healthy eating, and quality of life during and after pregnancy. Women reported tiredness, lack of support, medical complications, cost, cravings, and nausea as key barriers, while quality of life was positively associated with exercise and healthy eating.
Ten postpartum women with overweight or obesity (mean age 34.5 years, mean BMI 30.4 kg·m⁻², mean 7.1 months postpartum) participated in semi-structured interviews analysed using thematic analysis. Themes related to barriers to physical activity included tiredness, especially in the third trimester, lack of support, inconvenience of class attendance, medical complications following birth, and cost. Barriers to healthy eating included cravings, nausea, tiredness, and reduced self-restraint. Quality of life was positively associated with exercise and healthy eating, while lack of sleep, loneliness, and loss of freedom negatively influenced quality of life. The authors noted that the findings can inform the design and delivery of future lifestyle interventions in this population.
