Adherence to Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines and Influencing Factors Among Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in China

Why It Matters

Moderate adherence to nutrition and exercise recommendations can affect maternal‑fetal outcomes, and pinpointing key predictors enables targeted interventions to improve pregnancy health in China.

Key Takeaways

• Study of 327 Chinese pregnant women shows 54% guideline adherence
• Diet score 52.7/100, physical activity score 7.1/10
• Gestational week and regular exercise predict higher adherence
• Urban, higher‑educated participants dominate sample, limiting generalizability
• Findings urge personalized prenatal counseling to boost compliance

Pulse Analysis

Globally, balanced nutrition and regular physical activity are recognized as cornerstones of prenatal care, linked to reduced gestational hypertension, diabetes, and better neonatal development. While many nations have issued detailed dietary and exercise guidelines for pregnant women, adherence remains uneven. In the United States, Europe, and Australia, studies consistently report that fewer than one‑quarter of expectant mothers meet recommended activity levels, underscoring systemic barriers such as limited provider counseling and cultural misconceptions.

The Xiamen University study adds a Chinese perspective, revealing a mean total adherence score of 59.78 on a 110‑point scale, equivalent to roughly 54% compliance. Participants scored higher on diet than on exercise, mirroring international trends where physical‑activity guidelines are the most neglected. Notably, women in later trimesters and those who reported regular exercise achieved significantly better scores, suggesting that awareness and habit formation evolve as pregnancy progresses. However, the sample skewed urban and highly educated, raising questions about representativeness for rural or lower‑income populations where adherence may be even lower.

These findings signal a clear policy imperative: prenatal programs must shift from generic advice to individualized counseling that accounts for gestational stage, existing exercise habits, and socioeconomic context. Integrating dietitians and physiotherapists into routine antenatal visits, leveraging mobile health platforms for real‑time feedback, and conducting longitudinal trials to test intervention efficacy could close the compliance gap. Ultimately, improving adherence promises not only healthier mothers but also long‑term benefits for child development and public health expenditures.