Journal Article

335 The role of psychological factors impacting expecting mothers’ meal delivery intervention engagement

Worthington, Stansberry, Alanis, Pizano, Demetria, Dutton, Gareth

2025

Overview

Objectives/Goals: Nearly 42% of adults in the USA have obesity; women are disproportionately affected. Women with obesity that become pregnant are especially prone to developing health condition; thus, aid is needed to achieve appropriate gestational weight gain (GWG). GWG interventions would benefit from examining the effects of social support and stress has on GWG. Methods/Study Population: The proposed study will examine whether expecting mothers’ social support predicts their perceived stress. Also, examine whether receiving aid, in the form of weekly meal delivery, changes perceived stress. Lastly, this study will explore if social support mediates the relationship between meal delivery and perceived stress. The study will use data gathered from a pilot GWG intervention focused on providing pregnant women weekly meal delivery. Participants (N = 14) will complete 2 visits at 16–20- and 35–36-weeks gestation, while receiving weekly meal deliveries. Data from both visits will be used for the purpose of this study. Women’s social support will be measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. While stress will be measured via the Perceived Stress Scale. Results/Anticipated Results: Previous behavioral weight loss studies have found that individual who endorse experiencing social support report less perceived stress. Although the relationship has seldomly been examined in pregnant women, similar results are anticipated. Often aid, such as meal delivery, can impact perceived stress and is likely to cause a positive change. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore whether social support mediates the changes in perceived stress after receiving weekly meal delivery. Therefore, there is no known literature to suggest anticipatory results. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Few studies have examined the association between social support and perceived stress in pregnant women. This study will examine the effects social support has on a pregnant women’s stress. The proposed study will aim to identify if meal delivery changes perceived stress. If so, the study will explore if perceived social support mediates this change.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Body weight loss / Health Equity and Community Engagement / Obesity / Population studies / Pregnancy / Social interactions / Social support / Weight control