Innovative exergame program to increase physical activity for pregnant women with obesity

Project Member(s): Fox, D., Garcia Marin, J., Duffield, R.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Maridulu Budyari Gumal - The Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE) (SPHERE Maternal, Newborn and Women’s Clinical Academic Group (CAG) – Translational research projects)
Maridulu Budyari Gumal - The Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE) (SPHERE Maternal, Newborn and Women’s Clinical Academic Group (CAG) – Translational research projects)

Start year: 2020

Summary: We aim to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based exergaming intervention during pregnancy and pilot test the effect on physical activity, gestational weight gain, gestational hypertension and birth outcomes. A randomised controlled trial will be conducted among 30 pregnant women between 18 and 40 years of age, with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, a sedentary lifestyle and a singleton pregnancy of less than 10 weeks’ gestation at recruitment. Consenting women will be randomised to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will engage in a home-based exergaming program developed for pregnant women 3-4 days/week; while the control group continues usual activity for the duration of their pregnancy. Women in both groups will receive usual antenatal care. Participants in the intervention will be invited, in late pregnancy, to attend focus groups to talk about their views and experiences.

Publications:

Bossalini, C, Raffe, W & Andres Garcia, J 1970, 'Generative Audio and Real-Time Soundtrack Synthesis in Gaming Environments', 32nd Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, OzCHI '20: 32nd Australian Conference on Human-Computer-Interaction, ACM, Australia, pp. 281-292.
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FOR Codes: Exercise physiology, Midwifery, Technology, Women's Health, Biomechanical engineering, Women's and maternal health

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.