Factors associated with patterns of weight gain among pregnant women in northern west bank area of Nablus

Factors related to weight gain during pregnancy among Palestinian women in the North of West Bank were not studied before. The aim of this study was to evaluate various factors in relation to inadequate weight gain and excessive weight gain relative to normal weight among a group of pregnant Palestinian women. The study involved 387 pregnant women who were recruited from Palestinian Ministry of Health outpatient clinics during 2017-2018. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that included questions about demographic data, obstetric history, physical activity performance and knowledge about weight gain during pregnancy. Data regarding anthropometric height and weight to calculate the body mass index (BMI) and weight gain each trimester were collected from the women files. Data was ana-lyzed by SPSS. 34.7% of the study participants gained inadequate weight and only 20.3% gained excessive weight. Being overweight and obese was associated with 9 times and 3 times higher odds of being protected from having inadequate weight gain. Younger age group (17-32 y) were more likely to gain inadequate weight relative to women 41 y. Being from vil-lage and having only one baby and pregnancy were associated with gaining excessive weight. Eating more carbohydrates and proteins increased weight gain. Having higher BMI, older age and more intake of carbohydrates and proteins protect from inadequate weight gain.