Obviously, we as a nation are known for treating our obese citizens with dignity and respect. Oh, wait. Nope. We let them die in a foreign country while they're awaiting life-saving kidney failure surgery because was "physically impossible" to get them on the plain. Alright, now that we've squared away the general attitude that they're non-people, let's move on!
A small study conducted by Penn State College of Medicine printed in Women's Health Issues Journal say that many physicians don't adjust their regular spiel to suit the specific health needs of overweight and obese pregnant women. The standard guidelines are as follows: Normal-weight pregnant women are advised to gain 25 to 35 pounds, overweight women to gain 15 to 25 pounds and obese women to gain less than 20 pounds.
Researchers interviewed 12 overweight and 12 obese women after the birth of their first child and asked them about their doctor's advice on weight gain and physical activity. Of the 24 women, nine of them received no information at all about the weight gain standards—and, of the remainder, only two women were given the appropriate weight bracket. One of the researchers adds in the study: "Some women who received their care at obstetrical group practices and were seen by different providers in the same practice even received conflicting advice." That's reassuring.
Meanwhile, only 10 of the women were advised to exercise during pregnancy, and none of these women were instructed on the type or duration of exercise, although "federal physical activity guidelines recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise in healthy pregnant women, even in previously inactive women."
'Study Questions Advice Given to Obese Pregnant Women' [US News & World Report]
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