• Sarah Burkart, Bess H Marcus, Penelope Pekow, Milagros C Rosal, JoAnn E Manson, Barry Braun, and Lisa Chasan-Taber.
• Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America.
• Plos One. 2020 Jan 1; 15 (7): e0236408.

AimsTo assess the impact of a culturally modified, motivationally targeted, individually-tailored intervention on postpartum physical activity (PA) and PA self-efficacy among Hispanic women.MethodsEstudio PARTO was a randomized controlled trial conducted in Western Massachusetts from 2013-17. Hispanic women who screened positive for gestational diabetes mellitus were randomized to a Lifestyle Intervention (LI, n = 100) or to a comparison Health and Wellness (HW, n = 104) group during late pregnancy. Exercise goals in LI were to meet American College of Obstetrician & Gynecologists guidelines for postpartum PA. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) and the Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity Questionnaire were administered at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year postpartum.ResultsCompared to baseline levels, both groups had significant increases in moderate-to-vigorous PA at 6 months and one year postpartum (i.e., LI: mean change = 30.9 MET-hrs/wk, p = 0.05; HW: 27.6 MET-hrs/wk, p = 0.01), with only LI group experiencing significant increases in vigorous PA (mean change = 1.3 MET-hrs/wk, p = 0.03). Based on an intent-to-treat analysis using mixed effects models, we observed no differences in pattern of change in PA intensity and type over time between intervention groups (all p > 0.10). However, there was the suggestion of a greater decrease in sedentary activity in the LI group compared to the HW group (β = -3.56, p = 0.09).ConclusionsIn this randomized trial among high-risk Hispanic women, both groups benefitted from participation in a postpartum intervention.

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