Community-based lifestyle program improves diets of pregnant Latina women

ANN ARBOR-A healthy lifestyle intervention program tailored to Spanish-speaking pregnant Latinas significantly increased their daily consumption of vegetables and fiber. The program also led to a decreased intake of added sugar, total and saturated fat, and the percentage of calories from solid fats and sugars compared to a control group, according to a new University of Michigan study. Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of Healthy Mothers on the Move (MOMs), a Detroit-based intervention program designed to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes in pregnant and postpartum Latinas. The Healthy MOMs program structure and content was based on community-based participatory research conducted with pregnant and postpartum women from Detroit, and Detroit community organizations. The study demonstrates how pregnancy is an important time for interventions to improve dietary behavior that has consequences for the mother and the child, said Edith Kieffer, an associate professor of social work and study's lead author. Community health workers held two home visits and nine group meetings during pregnancy. The Healthy MOMs meetings offered a place for moms-to-be to get information about nutrition, discuss issues and learn how to exercise regularly and reduce stress.