Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2359-2365 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Human Reproduction |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| Early online date | 12 Oct 2017 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2017 |
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Keywords
- body mass index
- pregnancy
- fertility
- weight loss
- couple-based intervention
- couples
- obesity
- overweight
Cite this
New debate : is it time for infertility weight loss programmes to be couple-based? / Best, Damian (Corresponding Author); Avenell, Alison; Bhattacharya, Siladitya; Stadler, Gertraud.
In: Human Reproduction, Vol. 32, No. 12, 12.2017, p. 2359-2365.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - New debate
T2 - is it time for infertility weight loss programmes to be couple-based?
AU - Best, Damian
AU - Avenell, Alison
AU - Bhattacharya, Siladitya
AU - Stadler, Gertraud
N1 - Funding: No specific funding was sought. All authors were employed by the University of Aberdeen in a research capacity. The Health Services Research Unit is core funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate.
PY - 2017/12
Y1 - 2017/12
N2 - With obesity on the rise in the general population, it has also become more prevalent among people of reproductive age. Weight loss has shown benefits in overweight women and men experiencing fertility problems. However, the existing weight loss interventions for individuals with infertility are associated with high drop-out rates and limited success. In this article, we argue for the development of weight loss programmes targeting couples, as couples are routinely seen in fertility clinics, rather than individuals. Couples may have correlated weights, and similar eating and activity patterns. Involving both partners may facilitate mutual support, behaviour change, weight loss, and programme continuation, at very little additional cost. A successful couple-based intervention could improve the chances of achieving pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby, with a reduction in pregnancy complications. In the longer run, both partners and their baby could benefit from maintained behaviour change with better health across the lifespan. We conclude that there is a need for research to systematically develop a couple-based weight loss intervention with state-of-the-art design that is tailored to both partners’ needs.
AB - With obesity on the rise in the general population, it has also become more prevalent among people of reproductive age. Weight loss has shown benefits in overweight women and men experiencing fertility problems. However, the existing weight loss interventions for individuals with infertility are associated with high drop-out rates and limited success. In this article, we argue for the development of weight loss programmes targeting couples, as couples are routinely seen in fertility clinics, rather than individuals. Couples may have correlated weights, and similar eating and activity patterns. Involving both partners may facilitate mutual support, behaviour change, weight loss, and programme continuation, at very little additional cost. A successful couple-based intervention could improve the chances of achieving pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby, with a reduction in pregnancy complications. In the longer run, both partners and their baby could benefit from maintained behaviour change with better health across the lifespan. We conclude that there is a need for research to systematically develop a couple-based weight loss intervention with state-of-the-art design that is tailored to both partners’ needs.
KW - body mass index
KW - pregnancy
KW - fertility
KW - weight loss
KW - couple-based intervention
KW - couples
KW - obesity
KW - overweight
U2 - 10.1093/humrep/dex313
DO - 10.1093/humrep/dex313
M3 - Article
VL - 32
SP - 2359
EP - 2365
JO - Human Reproduction
JF - Human Reproduction
SN - 0268-1161
IS - 12
ER -