Which matters most for excess weight gain in late pregnancy: activity, diet, or anxiety?

Determinant Factors in Excessive Gestational Weight Gain: Physical Activity, Nutritional Status, and Anxiety

Observational Bezmialem Vakif University · NCT07368465

This project will see if physical activity, nutritional status, or pregnancy-related anxiety is most linked to gaining too much weight in women in their third trimester.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment150 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 45 Years
SexFemale
SponsorBezmialem Vakif University Academic / other
Locations1 site (Istanbul)
Trial IDNCT07368465 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a prospective observational study enrolling pregnant women in their third trimester who are followed at Gebze Fatih State Hospital and referred to the Exercise Therapy Laboratory at Bezmialem Vakıf University. Participants provide informed consent and complete a demographic form along with the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ), a nutritional status assessment, and a pregnancy-related anxiety questionnaire during face-to-face visits. The study will analyze which of these three factors shows the strongest association with excessive gestational weight gain. No interventions are given; the study aims to compare the relative contributions of activity, diet, and anxiety to weight gain during pregnancy.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Women aged 18–45 in their third trimester with the ability to give informed consent, a singleton low-risk pregnancy, and who are followed at Gebze Fatih State Hospital are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Women with high-risk or multiple pregnancies, chronic systemic/neurological/orthopedic diseases, or those outside the third trimester are unlikely to benefit from participation or be eligible.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians focus prevention efforts on the factor most strongly linked to excessive gestational weight gain, improving maternal and neonatal outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked physical activity, nutrition, and pregnancy anxiety separately to gestational weight gain, but few prospective studies have directly compared all three factors head-to-head, so this approach is relatively uncommon.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Being in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy
* Being between 18 and 45 years old
* Having the intellectual capacity to understand and respond to what is read.

Exclusion Criteria:

* High-risk pregnancy
* Multiple pregnancy
* Having a chronic disease such as a systemic, neurological, orthopedic, etc.

Where this trial is running

Istanbul

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions PregnancyExcessive Gestational Weight Gainphysical activitynutritional statusanxiety
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.