Tracking of Maternal Physical Activity and Sport Participation over 11 Years: Findings from the Czech ELSPAC Study

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 19; no. 2; p. 705
• Main Authors: Kasović, Mario, Štefan, Lovro, Piler, Pavel, Zvonar, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 09-01-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Body mass index; Coefficients; Confidence intervals; Cycles; Czech Republic; Exercise; Female; Humans; Mothers; Obesity; Overweight; Participation; Physical activity; Physical training; Questionnaires; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Sedentary Behavior; Sports; Sports training; Strength training; Surveys and Questionnaires; Swimming; Team sports; Variables; Womens health; Czech Republic; United States > US; longitudinal analysis; sport participation; motherhood; stability
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020705

: Tracking of physical activity (PA) and sport participation (SP) during motherhood is poorly understood. The purpose of the study was to analyze the extent of tracking of maternal PA and SP.
: In this investigation, data were collected from the Czech ELSPAC study subsample of 4811 and 2609 women measured postnatally (1991-1992) and after 11 years of follow-up (2002-2003), respectively. The structured questionnaire was used to assess the participation and average weekly time spent in PA, and the frequency of engaging in different sports (running, cycling, strength training, racket sports, swimming, and team sports). Tracking was calculated using generalized estimating equations (GEE) with beta coefficients (β), odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).
: Moderately high tracking coefficients were observed for cycling (β = 0.69, 95% 0.67-0.72), strength training (β = 0.59, 95% 0.56-0.63), and weekly time spent in PA (β = 0.53, 95% 0.38-0.66); meanwhile, moderate tracking coefficients were generated for swimming (β = 0.48, 95% 0.44-0.52), team sports (β = 0.44, 95% 0.39-0.48), racket sports (β = 0.44, 95% 0.39-0.48), and running (β = 0.35, 95% 0.30-0.40). Mothers who did not participate in PA at baseline were 81% more likely not to participate in it at follow-up (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.53-2.13).
: Cycling- and strength-related activities and weekly PA were tracked moderately-to-moderately high during motherhood. Moreover, the strong tracking of physical inactivity indicates that the detection of this risk factor before pregnancy should be advocated.