Lifestyle intervention before and during pregnancy – What is working?

This project investigates how a complex lifestyle intervention – PRE-STORK – works in practice.

It targets women with overweight or obesity and their partners, with the goal of preventing high weight among children.

The evaluation will examine what works, for whom, and under what conditions: What barriers arise along the way, what is particularly motivating, what role does the partner play, how does the intervention influence behavior and health – and what unintended consequences, if any, has it had.

Background

High body weight among children and adults is an increasing challenge and prevention must start early, ideally before pregnancy. Research shows that both the mother’s and father’s health before and during pregnancy have a major impact on the child’s weight and well-being later in life.

PRE-STORK is an ongoing intervention that combines physical activity, healthy eating, and social support for women before pregnancy through, among other things, mentorship programs and workshops. The purpose is to explore how these initiatives can be adapted to different contexts and create lasting improvements in health – for both parents and their children.

The results may help shape future initiatives promoting healthy pregnancies and a good start in life for children.

Project title: “Process Evaluation of the PRE STORK Trial”

Read more about PRE-STORK here.

The intervention is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.